After a semi-final finish at the 2024 T20 World Cup and an impressive run in the 2023 ODI World Cup, Afghanistan are ready to script the next chapter in their success story.
Over the last decade, India have dominated world cricket and cemented its position as Asia’s top team. While India remain the continent’s undisputed number one, Afghanistan have quietly risen to second place—leapfrogging Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. Their rise has been swifter than Pakistan’s erratic progress, more consistent than Sri Lanka’s one-off Asia Cup triumph, and far more promising than Bangladesh’s fading challenge.
Afghanistan now boasts some of the finest T20 specialists in the game, with their bowling attack standing out as their biggest weapon. Their world-class spin unit remains the centerpiece, while the top order carries the talent and firepower to test any opposition. Captain Rashid Khan will be counting on his team to play with freedom, showcase their fearless brand of cricket, and make a strong statement on the big stage.
Building on their 2024 T20 World Cup semi-final run—where they stunned New Zealand and Australia before bowing out—Afghanistan now have their sights firmly set on the next edition.
SPIN-POWERED BUT BALANCED SQUAD
A spin-heavy 17-member squad, led by the experienced Rashid Khan, combines seasoned campaigners with exciting young talent. Afghanistan, drawn in Group B alongside Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, will open their Asia Cup campaign against Hong Kong.
Veterans Mohammad Nabi, Karim Janat, and Gulbadin Naib provide leadership and composure, while explosive openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran have been consistent in setting strong platforms. They are joined by in-form domestic performers such as Sediqullah Atal and Azmatullah Omarzai, while 16-year-old Allah Ghazanfar-already with two ODI five-wicket hauls and IPL exposure-adds a fresh dimension to the bowling group.
Naveen-ul-Haq’s return after stepping away from ODIs strengthens the pace attack, though he will miss the T20I tri-series preceding the Asia Cup, with Abdullah Ahmadzai filling in. Ghazanfar also re-enters the setup following an injury layoff. Apart from these changes, the tri-series squad mirrors the Asia Cup contingent.
Spin remains Afghanistan’s most lethal weapon. Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Nabi, and Noor Ahmad headline a world-class unit, with Sharafuddin Ashraf and Ghazanfar providing further options. Their extensive T20 league experience, particularly in UAE conditions, makes them a nightmare for opposition batters.
The pace battery, led by Fazalhaq Farooqi and supported by Omarzai, Naveen, and Naib, adds variety and depth. With Farooqi’s left-arm angle complementing the spinners, Afghanistan’s bowling attack has both balance and bite.
BATTING A MINOR CONCERN?
While the bowling looks formidable, batting depth remains a concern. Gurbaz and Zadran have been reliable at the top, often giving Afghanistan solid starts, but the question persists—what comes after them? The return of Zadran strengthens the line-up, with Gurbaz and Atal providing firepower upfront, while Karim Janat and Zadran add stability in the middle order. Beyond that, however, the line-up begins to thin out.
The team leans heavily on its all-rounders—Karim, Omarzai, Rashid, and Nabi—who bring balance but are not specialist batters. Darwish Rasooli was expected to fill that gap, yet in 12 T20Is since debuting in 2022, he has struggled to make a meaningful impact.
The bench doesn’t offer much reassurance either. Apart from wicketkeeper Mohammad Ishaq, who has played five matches and scored 76 runs, there are no recognized batting options. Together, Rasooli and Ishaq remain vulnerable links in this set-up.
Afghanistan, at their core, are an all-rounder-heavy side. They will rely on collective contributions with the bat, but inconsistency could prove costly. In hindsight, dropping someone like Ashraf for a specialist batter might have given the squad more balance.
WORLD CUP PEDIGREE
Since taking charge in 2022, Jonathan Trott has transformed Afghanistan into a more complete team. While spinners remain central, batters and pacers have stepped up in key moments, particularly in multi-team tournaments.
The breakthrough moment for Trott-guided Afghanistan came in the 2023 ODI World Cup, their most successful campaign to date. The team won four out of nine matches, a significant improvement over just one win across their previous two World Cups. Three of those victories came against England, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, while the fourth was against the Netherlands.
The win over Pakistan was particularly memorable, as Afghanistan completed their highest successful chase in ODIs. They finished the tournament in sixth place, just behind neighbours Pakistan, missing out only on net run rate, and ahead of England (7th), Bangladesh (8th), and Sri Lanka (9th). The 2023 World Cup sent a clear message: Afghanistan were no longer content with participation—they were there to compete.
The 2024 T20 World Cup confirmed that promise. In a tournament featuring 20 teams, Afghanistan first qualified for the Super Eights and then reached the semi-finals, defeating Uganda, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Bangladesh along the way. Their most notable victory came against Australia, exorcising the ghosts of Wankhede 2023.
With wins over top teams and a semi-final finish, Afghanistan demonstrated their talent, temperament, and ability to perform under pressure. Building on their experiences in the 2023 ODI World Cup, they entered the 2024 T20 World Cup with confidence, proving they are no longer just participants but genuine contenders. The Asia Cup could be a fitting reward for Trott’s meticulous work in shaping a balanced and competitive side.
AFGHANISTAN’s ASIA CUP T20 RECORD
Afghanistan are yet to reach the final of an Asia Cup T20 tournament, having won only four of their eight matches in the competition so far. But this time, the story feels different—Afghanistan will enter the Asia Cup as one of the favourites to lift the title.
AFGHANISTAN’S POST-WORLD CUP T20I RECORD
After winning an away T20I series in Zimbabwe in December, Afghanistan suffered a heavy loss to Pakistan in the final of the tri-series in the UAE. Despite not playing a lot of T20I cricket recently, the Afghan players like Rashid, Nabi, and Mujeeb are true T20 globetrotters, having gained experience in leagues across the UAE, South Africa, Australia, India, and Pakistan.
AFGHANISTAN’s ASIA CUP SQUAD
Rashid Khan (captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wicketkeeper), Ibrahim Zadran, Darwish Rasooli, Sediqullah Atal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Karim Janat, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Mohammad Ishaq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, AM Ghazanfar, Noor Ahmad, Fareed Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi
AFGHANISTAN’S GROUP STAGE SCHEDULE
9 September – Afghanistan vs Hong Kong, Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
16 September – Bangladesh vs Afghanistan, Sheikh Zayed Stadium
18 September – Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan, Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
AFGHANISTAN’S PREDICTED XI FOR ASIA CUP
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (w), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Noor Ahmad, Rashid Khan(c), Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq
