Sport

Afghanistan looking to go one better at this year’s T20 World Cup

Published

2 years ago

October 21, 2022

(Last Updated On: October 21, 2022)

Afghanistan continue to go from strength to strength in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup but have not yet shattered the glass ceiling and secured a semi-final spot.

The destination for this year’s tournament – Australia – may be the biggest hurdle for Jonathan Trott’s squad to overcome, with a bowling attack better suited to spinning pitches and home conditions.

The former England star’s side secured an automatic spot in the Super 12 by virtue of their seventh-place finish at the 2021 World Cup – their best finish in the tournament to date.

2022 Prospects

Afghanistan are no strangers to the Super 12 stage and will be looking to bridge the gap to the world’s best. Having beaten the two lowest-ranked sides in their group at the last World Cup, they will be hopeful of a major scalp in 2022.

If they are to achieve a best ever Super 12 finish, they must beat one of Australia, England or New Zealand, though they are yet to record a single victory against one of the world’s current top six.

The captaincy of 37-year-old Mohammad Nabi could be key given his experience of playing major T20 tournaments across the globe.

He will again be at the forefront of a spin-heavy attack but whether that they can get the requisite turn to trouble the world’s best attacks in Australia remains to be seen.

T20 World Cup History

Afghanistan have been an ever-improving force since their first World Cup appearance in 2010.

Their first ever T20I fixture came in February of that year against Ireland, and just a few months later they were thrust into a World Cup group alongside heavyweights India and South Africa.

It was not until their third tournament that they tasted victory for the first time, chasing down Hong Kong’s 153 off just 18 overs, though it was not enough to seem them through to the knockout stage.

That status finally arrived in 2016, when a hat-trick of group stage victories saw them through to the Super 10, where they were pulled off a thrilling six-run victory over eventual champions West Indies in the pair’s first ever international meeting.

Now household names of T20 cricket, the ever-present Nabi and Rashid Khan finished with identical figures of two for 26 as Daren Sammy and co were left red-faced.

Last year, they qualified automatically for the knockout phase for the first time in their history, by virtue of their impressive results at the previous tournament.

Comfortable wins were secured against Scotland and Namibia and the ambition must now be to rediscover the magic of 2016 and overcome one of cricket’s established forces.

Current Form

Results ahead of the World Cup have swung one way and another since Afghanistan’s preparations ramped up in June.

They got off to a flying start with a routine 3-0 series win over Zimbabwe but were swiftly brought back down to earth after a 3-2 defeat in Ireland.

Results have continued to fluctuate since then but the highlight was undoubtedly an eight-wicket victory against Sri Lanka in the 2022 Asia Cup, with the 2014 T20 champions bowled out for 105 in a memorable victory in Dubai.

Best Batters

Captain Nabi and vice-captain Najibullah Zadran certainly led by example at last year’s World Cup in UAE and Oman.

Zadran top-scored for his country with 172 throughout the tournament and a high score of 73, while Nabi’s average of 63.50 was streets ahead of his nearest teammate.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz promised much ahead of the last World Cup but the 20-year-old struggled to make a lasting impression.

He has since hit two ODI hundreds – against the Netherlands and Bangladesh – and will hope that this is the tournament which sees him deliver on his potential.

Best Bowlers

The conditions down under may not be best suited to Afghanistan, who so often rely on the star trio of Nabi, Khan and Mujeeb ur Rahman to spin them to victory.

So, the addition of right-arm quick Saleem Safi is an astute one and he will be expected to support Naveen-ul-Haq, who is the only out-and-out quick to retain his place from the last World Cup, with Karim Janat and Gulbadin Naib omitted from the 15-man squad.

On Saturday, the national team will take on England and for fans, there is no need to miss the match that will be broadcast live in Afghanistan on Ariana Television.

The match is expected to kick off at 15:30 Kabul time and will be screened live.

FOR THE FULL BROADCASTING SCHEDULE CLICK HERE

Related Topics:#َAfghanistan #T20WorldCup ArianaNews featured

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Sport

Rashid Khan returns home, officially introduced as AWCC’s brand ambassador

Published

1 day ago

May 18, 2024

Ariana News

(Last Updated On: May 19, 2024)

Afghanistan’s cricket superstar Rashid Khan was officially introduced Saturday as brand ambassador for Afghan Wireless Communication Company (AWCC).

Rashid landed in Kabul on Saturday after an absence of several years. He returned following an official invitation from AWCC.

For years now, Rashid has followed the international cricket league circuit – playing for big name events including Indian Premier League (IPL), Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL) and Pakistan Super League (PSL) among others.

In March 2018, during the 2018 Cricket World Cup Qualifier, he captained Afghanistan for the first time in an ODI match – becoming the youngest player to captain an international side, at the age of 19 years and 165 days.

Rashid, a right-handed batsman and right-arm legbreak bowler, holds numerous records, including being the youngest player to become the No. 1 bowler in One Day International Rankings.

He also holds the record for the best bowling figures for an associate nation in One Day Internationals (ODIs) and the fastest bowler to complete 100 dismissals in T20 Internationals.

Rashid is a key player for Afghanistan and has contributed significantly to the country’s success in international cricket.

In line with Rashid’s commitment to the game, his resilience and determination to always do his best, AWCC moved to employ him as the company’s brand ambassador.

Aliullah Sarwari, CEO of AWCC, said at a ceremony in Kabul to mark the announcement and Rashid’s return to the country, that the company strives to ensure all citizens have access to high-quality telecommunications and internet services in the farthest and most remote areas of Afghanistan.

Sarwari added that high-quality telecommunication services, new technology, creating employment and access to the internet for all citizens in the farthest parts of the country are among the most important objectives of this company.

He also stated that the appointment of Rashid as brand ambassador for AWCC was made from a commercial and spiritual perspective.

Rashid, meanwhile, said it is the first time that he has been chosen as an ambassador and that he will try to serve the people and the country in the same way that he shines on the cricket field.

“I am happy and proud that I have been selected as a brand ambassador of Afghan Wireless for the first time,” said Rashid.

As a hero to his fellow countrymen, Rashid received a warm welcome on arrival in Kabul and thousands of cricket fans posted messages on social media to welcome him home.

One fan, Mohammad Sharif Noori, said on Facebook: “Thank God that you came. You are the pride of Afghanistan.”

Ishq Yousufzai, another fan, wrote on his social media page: “The pride of the homeland. The champion of Afghanistan.”

Sport

T20 World Cup warm-up match schedule released, Afghanistan to face Oman and Scotland

Published

2 days ago

May 17, 2024

Ariana News

(Last Updated On: May 17, 2024)

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has revealed the much-anticipated warm-up match schedule for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. These preparatory games will take place from Monday, May 27 to Saturday, June 1, across various venues in the USA and the West Indies.

Venues and teams

The 16 warm-up matches will be hosted at the following locations:

Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium, Texas
Broward County Stadium, Florida
Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad and Tobago
Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad and Tobago

A total of 17 teams will participate in these matches, including South Africa, which will conduct an intra-squad game on May 29 in Florida. These matches will not carry official T20 international status, allowing teams the flexibility to field all members of their 15-player squads.

Schedule highlights

Unlike previous editions, teams now have the option to play up to two warm-up matches based on their arrival time.

Afghanistan will participate in two warm-up game, set for May 29 against Oman and May 31 against Scotland. Meanwhile, Pakistan and England will not engage in any warm-up fixtures as they will be engaging in a bilateral T20I series, which concludes on May 30.

The Afghanistan national cricket team departed Kabul on Thursday for the UAE to begin their T20 World Cup journey, which will be hosted by the U.S.

Afghanistan Cricket Board said some players participating in the IPL will join the team in the UAE.

It added that those whose IPL matches are still ongoing will join their teammates in the West Indies.

T20 World Cup Warm-up fixtures

Monday, May 27