Sport
ICC World Cup: Afghanistan only get it ’70-80%’ right, says Trott
Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott admitted Saturday that his team “get it 70-80% right” but need to find an extra gear quickly if they are to end a demoralizing run of 14 successive World Cup defeats.
Afghanistan have so far suffered convincing losses to Bangladesh and India at this 10-nation tournament.
They lost all nine matches at the 2019 World Cup while winning just one against Scotland on their 2015 debut, AFP reported.
It doesn’t get easier for Afghanistan who tackle defending champions England in New Delhi on Sunday.
“At times we get 70-80% of it right, but the other 20-30% that we don’t get right really ends up costing us,” said Trott, a former England international batsman.
“Starting the game well is going to be crucial against a very strong England side.
“But going forward for the rest of the competition as well, we need to start better with bat and ball and set the standard of how we want to play our cricket.”
Against India, eight Afghanistan batsmen reached double figures with skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi making 80 and Azmatullah Omarzai 62 in a total of 272.
But India coasted to an eight-wicket win with spin wizard Rashid Khan claiming both victims.
In the opener against Bangladesh, it was the batting which eventually misfired as Afghanistan collapsed from 83-1 to 156 all out in a six-wicket loss.
Trott backed Rashid to play a key role in Sunday’s game.
The leg-spinner, a mainstay of Twenty20 franchise cricket around the world, has just two wickets from two games for the cost of 105 runs.
He has 174 ODI wickets in his career but managed only six at the 2019 World Cup.
Against England at Old Trafford he went 0-110 as his team were routed by 150 runs.
“Rashid, can’t speak highly enough about the guy, the way that he performs and his passion for playing for this side,” said Trott.
“I know that he puts a lot of pressure on himself as well to perform and lead the attack. But it’s the job of all the other guys who have the ball in their hand to cause mayhem and put a bit of pressure on England.
“It’s a case of the other bowlers making sure that they are on just as a high level and as switched on as Rashid normally is.”
Arman FC suffered a 1-0 defeat against Abu Muslim Farah in the 83rd match of the sixth season of Afghanistan Champions League Roshan in Kabul on Wednesday.
Abu Muslim Farah found the back of the net once in the first half, taking a 1-0 lead into the break.
Despite efforts from both sides in the second half, neither team managed to score, and the match ended in a 1-0 victory for Abu Muslim Farah.
Arman FC will face Kabul Istiqlal on November 15 in their final match of the competition, while Abu Muslim Farah will take on Toofan Herat on November 14.
All matches of the sixth season of Afghanistan Champions League Roshan are broadcast live on Ariana Television.
Sorkh Poshan Khafi have mathematically secured the sixth-season Roshan Afghanistan Champions League title after recording a commanding 7-0 victory over Khurasan Faryab in the competition’s 82nd match on Wednesday.
The Herat-based side moved to 47 points from 17 matches, putting the championship beyond the reach of their closest rivals with one fixture still remaining in their campaign.
The title was effectively decided by the result, rather than the conclusion of the competition, as other teams still have matches to play.
Before Wednesday’s encounter, Sorkh Poshan had 44 points, six ahead of second-placed Abu Muslim Farah. Even if Abu Muslim win both of their remaining matches, they can reach only 44 points, leaving Sorkh Poshan uncatchable.
Sorkh Poshan took a 1-0 lead into half-time in Wednesday’s match before producing a devastating second-half display, scoring six additional goals to complete the 7-0 rout.
The victory also confirmed the club’s outstanding consistency throughout the campaign, establishing them as the season’s dominant side.
Sorkh Poshan will play their final league fixture against Omar Zawak on November 15, giving the team an opportunity to finish their campaign on another high note.
Khurasan Faryab, meanwhile, are scheduled to face Sarsabz Yashlar on November 14 as the remaining league fixtures continue.
The sixth season of the Roshan Afghanistan Champions League features 10 clubs competing in a league format, with the title now decided ahead of the final round of matches.
Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN) broadcasts all matches of the competition live on Ariana Television.
Sport
Historic first for Rahmat Shah after ICC rankings update
It was Rahmat’s fifth Test century of his career and second this year and it helped the 33-year-old jump in front of the likes of India captain Shubman Gill.
Afghanistan captain Rahmat Shah has created history by becoming the first player from his country to enter the top 10 in any category of the ICC Men’s Test Player Rankings.
Rahmat climbs six spots to seventh on the rankings for Test batters following his innings of 173 in the opening match of Afghanistan’s two-game series with Zimbabwe in Sharjah, with the in-form right-hander reaching a new career-high rating in the process.
It was Rahmat’s fifth Test century of his career and second this year and it helped the 33-year-old jump in front of the likes of India captain Shubman Gill, South Africa opener Aiden Markram and Sri Lanka left-hander Kamindu Mendis and earn a spot inside the top 10 for the very first time.
It caps off a good fortnight for Afghanistan, who earlier this month achieved their highest-ever spot on the ICC Men’s ODI Team Rankings when they rose to sixth on the back of a tri-series triumph over Zimbabwe and Bangladesh.
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