The anthems have been sung lustily, and we are all set with Tim Southee set to send down the first over.

Alex Hartley
England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

I often think teams will bowl spin in the powerplay when they have a spinner they trust with all two fielders out of the ring. But if your spinners feel more comfortable with five fielders out then stick to seam.

Seam in the powerplay has worked for New Zealand, though. They are predictable but if it is working for them, why change?

As ever, we'd love to know your thoughts on today's action and those permutations (if you can get your head around them...)

For New Zealand, it's quite simple - if they win they are in the semi-finals - and India will be out.

Afghanistan also have a chance of the last four, but it's complicated.

If they win but don't overhaul India's net run rate and India beat Namibia on Monday, then India go through.

If Afghanistan thrash New Zealand, then India would need to win big against Namibia to go past Afghanistan's NRR.

Pakistan - who play Scotland later - are already through, of course.

To paraphrase an old TV show called 'Soap' - confused? You will be...

Afghanistan captain Mohammad Nabi: "It is a day game. We will try and bat first and put a decent total on the board. We are all fit. Mujeeb is back after an injury."

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson:"We were going to have a bat as well with it being a used surface but I imagine it'll stay pretty similar throughout.

"Both sides have a good mix of experience and youth. They have match-winners throughout but we like to think we have something similar throughout."

Just one change for Afghanistan, with Sharafuddin Ashraf replaced by Mujeeb Ur Rahman, while the Black Caps are unchanged.

Afghanistan: Hazratullah Zazai, Mohammad Shahzad (wk), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Gulbadin Naib, Najib Zadran, Mohammad Nabi (capt), Karim Janat, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, Hamid Hassan.

New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Daryl Mitchell, Kane Williamson (capt), Devon Conway (wk), Glenn Phillips, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Adam Milne, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Trent Boult.

And the news is that Afghanistan have won the toss and will bat first.

Today's first match, in Abu Dhabi, has lots of possibilities and permutations (more of those in a bit), but without any further do let's give you news of the toss and the teams.