Afghanistan is undoubtedly the second most dominant side in Asia, following the Men in Blue. And according to the high standards set for the Asian side, they have awestruck all with their dominance in ICC tournaments since 2023.
The Afghans dominated on the subcontinent in the World Cup held in India last year. They set high standards, defeating heavyweights like England, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. The world-class spinners of Afghanistan also wrecked havoc against Australia until a historic knock by Glenn Maxwell changed the fortunes of the Asian underdogs.
After the Champions of the World won the fixture against Afghanistan with Maxwell’s 200-run knock, Afghanistan were knocked out of contention for a semi-final spot. This caused a stir in the cricket world, and even some players faced huge criticism at the hands of not only the fans but also cricket experts.
However, Afghanistan’s skipper for the T20 World Cup, Rashid Khan, showed great confidence in his team’s chances in the cup. Owing to his words, his teammates seemed to excel at all ends, as they secured two major wins early on and have made quite a spot for them in the Super 8 stage.
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Afghanistan seemed unstoppable, especially in their intense efforts against the Kiwis. It would be perfect to say that they shocked the world with their all-around brilliance.
Rashid claimed early on in the tournament that Afghanistan would not remain the side that has overreliance on its bowers; rather, they have uplifted their supreme batting standards.
Batting first, Gurbaz once again stood tall with his 80-run knock and took the Afghan innings to a firm total of 159. On the bowling front, Fazalhaq Farooqi and skipper Rashid Khan demolished the Kiwis and crashed their innings at 75. With this huge win over the most promising side in the group, Afghanistan has made a huge impact in order to be part of the Super-8’s of the T20 World Cup.
Though their fate is not yet sealed, they have fancied their chances for the next stage. With just a single hurdle, they may look to get past the Windies in order to secure their position. Rashid Khan, the Afghan skipper who attained the best bowling figures by a captain in the last game, will look to lead his team to a well-deserved World Cup knockout stage.