Rahul punished the Afghans after enjoying a slice of good fortune.
| Photo Credit: R.V. Moorthy

Ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy campaign opener against South Africa, Afghanistan skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi said that the team faces no pressure against Proteas and is here to win the title. Afghanistan will kickstart their ICC Champions Trophy campaign against South Africa at February 21 at Karachi, followed by matches against England (February 26 at Lahore), and Australia (February 28 at Lahore). Speaking ahead of the match as quoted by ESPNCricinfo, Shahidi said that there is a lot of difference between Afghanistan from the year 2019 till now and they have defeated Proteas in an ODI series before the CT2025.

“Because right now we are focusing what we can do in this tournament and I believe that our team is more ready for this tournament and we are focusing on our own team. There is no pressure on us,” he added.

Afghanistan is missing their teenage mystery spinner AM Ghazanfar due to injury, but they still have enough weaponry in form of Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Mohammad Nabi and Nangeylia Kharote. They will also be enjoying a lot of fan support in Karachi.

“First of all, about people here – there are a lot of Afghans. They live here in Karachi and in Pakistan and also a lot of Pashtun people, I think, they support us. So yeah, yesterday there was a lot of crowds shouting for us [during training], and it feels good, and it gives us confidence that we have supporters here and about our performance,” he added.

This will be Shahidi-led Afghanistan’s first Champions Trophy appearance and the captain made it clear they are here to win the title. They have plenty to draw experience from, their sixth spot finish in the 50-over World Cup with four wins and five losses and a semifinal run in the T20 World Cup last year, which saw them beat Test nations like England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Australia.

“We are doing very good and, in this tournament, we are here to compete and our aim is to win the final. We are not here just to participate here in this tournament. We are definitely 100 per cent looking to win this event and at the same time because we played a lot of quality cricket from last two years and it is a good chance for us because the boys are very experienced and these conditions are also suitable for us. So we have a good chance and let us start it from tomorrow. Hopefully, we start with the win and we go with the same momentum throughout the tournament,” he added.

Despite having secured a full-member status in June 2017, Afghanistan has not had any dedicated home venue and have played their home matches at UAE, Dehradun, Lucknow and Greater Noida. Shahidi also talked about cricketing facilities and domestic cricket in Afghanistan, expressing hope to play international cricket in Afghanistan in future.

“I have answered this in Pashto but let me say it again because in media I heard a lot from other countries that they [Afghanistan] do not have facilities, they do not have stadiums, they do not have academies. It is totally wrong,” Shahidi said.

We have good facilities. We have cricket academies. We have a High Performance Centre in Kabul and Jalalabad, and also, we have stadiums in every zone of Afghanistan. So, we have the facilities to call a team to come to Afghanistan but in our country there were some security issues that is why other countries are not coming but hopefully soon, as soon as possible, one of the countries will come to Afghanistan and you will see the crowd also.”

“When we play domestic cricket, it is fully packed. Even people wait outside the stadium and try to come and watch the domestic game, like more than 50,000, 40,000 or 30,000 people coming for the finals of an event. I know that if any team come to Afghanistan, there will be like thousands of people, fans come and arrive to the stadium because there is a lot of craze for cricket. There are a lot of people who love cricket. So hopefully that day comes and hopefully it comes soon,” he concluded.

Afghanistan squad for ICC Champions Trophy: Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Ikram Alikhil, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Farid Malik, Naveed Zadran. Reserves: Darwish Rasooli, Bilal Sami.

Debutants Afghanistan will aim to continue their impressive rise in white-ball cricket, while South Africa will once again attempt to shed the ‘chokers’ tag when the two sides kick off their Champions Trophy campaign in Karachi on Friday. The inaugural Champions Trophy in 1998, which was called the Knockout Trophy at that time, remains the only ICC men’s senior title that South Africa have secured despite having produced some of the world’s greatest cricketers, especially in limited-overs format. The Proteas boast of a well-balanced squad with a formidable batting lineup.

While skipper Temba Bavuma, Tony de Zorzi, Rassie van der Dussen, and Aiden Markram will anchor the top order, the big-hitting trio of Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller and Tristan Stubbs are well-equipped to provide the final flourish.

South Africa’s biggest challenge heading into the tournament is their depleted bowling attack as key pacers Anrich Nortje, Nandre Burger, and Gerald Coetzee ruled out due to injuries.

Known for his pace, aggression, and the knack of striking at crucial moments, Kagiso Rabada will be the Proteas’ key weapon in both the powerplay and death overs.

Marco Jansen, too, will be expected to step up significantly. His ability to build pressure and deliver impactful spells will be crucial.

Meanwhile, Lungi Ngidi will be looking to rediscover his rhythm and confidence after a below-par showing in the recent tri-series.

In the spin department, Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi will have vital roles.

Since the 2023 ODI World Cup, South Africa have won only four of the 14 ODIs they have played. They enter the tournament on the back of a six-match losing streak.

But one cannot overlook the fact that they were not able to field a full strength team in any of these games due to multiple reasons.

Clubbed alongside an off-colour England, injury-plagued Australia and Afghanistan, South Africa have a good chance of advancing to the knockout stage. But the Afghans could prove to be the proverbial banana peel.

The war-torn nation has emerged as strong contenders to make the semifinals.

Their impressive performances in recent ICC events include dominant wins over England, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka in the 2023 ODI World Cup and reaching the semifinals of the T20 World Cup last year.

They have proved more than once that they are no longer underdogs but a force to be reckoned with.

The Adghans have won four of their five bilateral series since the ODI World Cup, including one against South Africa in the UAE.

Their biggest strength expectedly remains their spin attack comprising the redoubtable Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi and left-armers Noor Ahmad and Nangeyalia Kharote.

They will play all three group matches in Pakistan where spin will be a decisive factor.

Pacer Azmatullah Omarzai has been a key figure in Afghanistan’s ODI success, with his ability to swing the new ball providing them the powerplay edge.

Fazalhaq Farooqi will be another crucial weapon with ability to provide early breakthroughs and effective variations at the death.

In the batting department, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran will once again be expected to provide a solid start.

Their weakness, however, lies in their middle order, which has often struggled to maintain momentum. This inconsistency has been a concern, and addressing it will be crucial for their success in the tournament.

South Africa: Temba Bavuma (c), Tony de Zorzi, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen, Corbin Bosch.

Afghanistan: Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Ikram Alikhil, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Farid Malik, Naveed Zadran.

Star leg spinner Rashid Khan took his seventh wicket of the innings as Afghanistan speedily wrapped up a 72-run victory over Zimbabwe on Monday to win the two-Test series. Zimbabwe were 205-8 overnight with captain Craig Ervine unbeaten on 53 and needing 73 more runs to win the Test at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo after a drawn first Test. But the home team failed to add a run and Afghanistan needed just 15 deliveries to seal a first Test win since beating Zimbabwe in Abu Dhabi four years ago.

Richard Ngarava was run out for three, then man of the match Khan (7-66) added to his six-wicket haul on Sunday by trapping Ervine leg before.

Ervine was the top Zimbabwe scorer with his 103-ball knock including a six and four fours.

Khan tormented Zimbabwe throughout a match interrupted several times by rain, taking four first-innings wickets as well.

The 26-year-old deflected attention from himself after receiving the player of the match award, praising second-innings centurions Rahmat Shah (139) — who was named player of the series — and debutant Ismat Alam (101) instead.

“The way they performed second time round got us back into the match,” he said, referring to the 86-run deficit the tourists faced after the first innings.

“The way Ismat shrugged off the disappointment of being out for nought in his first innings was amazing. He was hurt during the second innings, but carried on for the sake of his country.

“I am recovering from back surgery so taking 11 wickets was very encouraging. It was all about adapting to the conditions, which initially favoured the bowlers, then the batters.”

Brief scores

Afghanistan 157 (Rashid Khan 25; S. Raza 3-30, N. Nyamhuri 3-42) and 363 in 113.5 overs (Rahmat Shah 139, Ismat Alam 101; B. Muzarabani 6-95, R. Ngarava 3-76) v Zimbabwe 243 (C. Ervine 75, S. Raza 61, S. Williams 49; Rashid Khan 4-94, Yamin Ahmadzai 3-62) and 205 in 68.3 overs (S. Ervine 53, B. Curran 38, S. Raza 38; Rashid Khan 7-66)

Result: Afghanistan won by 72 runs

Toss: Zimbabwe

Afghanistan veteran Hashmatullah Shahidi and Zimbabwe rookie Brian Bennett starred as the first Test was drawn after a rain-shortened final day in Bulawayo on Monday. Shahidi claimed an Afghan record 246 runs at the end of a marathon innings while spinner Bennett took five wickets. Zimbabwe made 586 and 142-4 to lead Afghanistan by 29 runs at stumps after the tourists posted 699. Both first innings scores were national records. With Zimbabwe 88-4 in their second innings and 25 runs behind, batting stability was required and the unbeaten partnership of veterans Sean Williams (35) and Craig Ervine (22) provided it. 

Shahidi departed after being trapped leg before by Bennett, whose 5-95 were the best figures among the six-man Zimbabwe attack. 

The 30-year-old left-hand batter faced 474 balls in 694 minutes, and struck 21 fours at Queens Sports Club in the southwestern city.

Congratulations to our captain @Hashmat_50 for his double century. Fantastic knock!

And congratulations to @AfsarZazai_78 for his first maiden test century – well played, your hard work has truly paid off! pic.twitter.com/1kzFH3vEPZ

— Ibrahim Zadran (@IZadran18) December 30, 2024

His partnerships with Rahmat Shah (364 runs) and Afsar Zazai (211) ensured Afghanistan took a 113-run first innings lead.

The previous highest Test score of Shahidi was 200 not out, also against Zimbabwe, in Abu Dhabi three years ago.

Before the exit of Shahidi, wicketkeeper Zazai claimed a maiden Test century, hitting 113 before being caught at backward point by substitute Johnathan Campbell. The fall of Shahidi triggered a collapse with the final six Afghanistan wickets going for just 20 runs in four overs as the off spin of Bennett wreaked havoc.

Bennett, a 21-year-old appearing in only his second Test, twice took wickets from successive balls only to be deprived of hat-tricks on both occasions.

He also shone with the bat, making 110 not out in the first innings after Zimbabwe captain Ervine won the toss. Batting a second time, Zimbabwe put on 73 runs before an outside edge from Joylord Gumbie (24) allowed Shahidi to make a simple catch in the slips.

The fall of the wicket was followed almost immediately by mid-afternoon rain that led to a one hour delay.

Test debutant Ben Curran, a son of deceased former Zimbabwe coach Kevin Curran and brother of England internationals Tom and Sam, made 41 before being run out.

Gumbie, Curran and Takudzwanashe Kaitano (5) fell in the space of 14 balls, with spinner Zahir Khan taking two wickets, and Dion Myers (4) was bowled by teenage spinner Allah Ghazanfar.

Afghanistan vs New Zealand, One-Off Test Day 2, Live Updates© AFP

The Afghanistan cricket team is all set to play a one-off Test against New Zealand from September 9-13 in Greater Noida. The Afghan side started their one-week preparatory camp at the Noida Sports Complex, but according to a report by The Indian Express, the start of their practice was far from ideal. Heavy rain in the Delhi NCR on Thursday meant that the Afghans had a hard time in training properly. 

The report said that the practice pitch was flooded and the ground staff used two table fans to dry the ground. The report further mentioned that there are no super-soppers or covers to protect the 30-yard circle. In fact, Afghanistan bowling coach Hamid Hasan had trouble finding a 10-yard spot with less dampness.

Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi took a sly dig at the facilities. “Boys, we should have brought our swim gear. No way we are going to play here. Good place to swim,” Shahidi was quoted as saying by The Indian Express. 

The captain then told the officials and said in Hindi: “Sir hum logo ko aadat hai, but New Zealand waalon ko kya jawaab doge (We have trained in much poorer conditions, but what would you say to the New Zealand team management.”

Meanwhile, Afghanistan cricket’s poster boy Rashid Khan will not play the Test format in the near future to nurse his back after having undergone a surgery last year. A source in the Afghanistan Cricket Board told PTI that Rashid and the team management had decided mutually on his break from the longest format considering his back issues.

Earlier this week, he was not named in the preliminary squad for the one-off Test against New Zealand in Greater Noida on September 9.

Rashid was out of action for four months after undergoing back surgery following the ODI World Cup in India in October-November. He was part of the more recent T20 World Cup in the USA and Caribbean where he captained Afghanistan to the semifinals.

The 25-year-old recently played three games in as many days in the Shpageeza T20 league in Kabul, taking six wickets in total.

“The plan for Rashid after the surgery was to gradually increase his workload. Not playing the longer format for the next six months to one year was also part of the plan.

“In Tests, he would be required to keep bowling from one end and his back is not ready for that kind of workload. He should be available for the ODI series against South Africa next month,” the source said.

Rashid has played five Tests, 103 ODIs, and 93 T20Is for Afghanistan, who hardly get to play the five-day game against top teams like New Zealand.

All-rounder Rashid Khan is a notable omission in Afghanistan’s 20-member preliminary squad for the one-off Test against New Zealand, to be played in Greater Noida next month. Rashid’s absence from the September 9-13 contest comes as a surprise as he has been Afghanistan’s highest wicket-taker in the format, having taken 34 wickets in five Tests at an average of 22.35, including four fifers. He played his last Test for Afghanistan in 2021 against Zimbabwe in Abu Dhabi, where he took 11 wickets.

Besides, Rashid is also a handy batter and has a half-century to his name in Tests.

The other notable omissions in the side, led by Hashmatullah Shahidi, are Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Karim Janat, though Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Gulbadin Naib and Azmatullah Omarzai have been included in the preliminary squad.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board said the final 15-member squad will be announced at the end of a week-long preparatory camp in Greater Noida.

The preliminary squad will arrive in India on August 28.

“20 players have been selected for the training camp, and a 15-member squad will be selected to play the only Test match against New Zealand after observing their performance and fitness,” said an ACB release.

“I am happy to see some youngsters in the squad who performed well in domestic cricket and have gotten the opportunity to be part of the Test squad for this Test match,” said ACB chairman Mirwais Ashraf.

Afghanistan preliminary squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hassan, Abdul Malik, Rahmat Shah, Baheer Shah Mahboob, Ikram Alikhel (wk), Shahidullah Kamal, Gulbadin Naib, Afsar Zazai (wk), Azmatullah Omarzai, Ziaurrahman Akbar, Shamsurrahman, Qais Ahmad, Zahir Khan, Nijat Masoud, Farid Ahmad Malik, Naveed Zadran, Khalil Ahmad and Yama Arab.

A young Afghan side with an average age of just 25 have vowed to give audiences back home rare cause for jubilation at the T20 World Cup after a breakthrough performance at the 50-over showpiece. Kabul’s skies were raked with fireworks when Afghanistan celebrated their stunning eight-wicket victory against Pakistan in the ODI World Cup in October. They finished sixth, ahead of defending champions England — who they also beat — stoking hopes for the T20 tournament in the United States and West Indies starting on Saturday.

“In the past when we would defeat a bigger team, our victory was tagged as an ‘upset’,” 22-year-old Sediqullah Atal told AFP on the phone from their training camp in the West Indies.

“The word ‘upset’ is no longer in the dictionary and we are ranked among the favourites,” the left-handed opening batsman said, insisting his team is “no less than anyone”.

Afghanistan has been through decades of war, but the country’s passion for cricket has never gone away.

“When you have the support of 40 million people and they motivate you, it is a feeling of absolute delight,” said 20-year-old all-rounder Nangeyalia Kharote.

Delight of supporters

It’s “a matter of great joy” to represent his country, though they must now “match the high expectations” of supporters, he told AFP in Kabul ahead of his departure for the Caribbean.

“The love from the Afghans both at home and abroad is remarkable,” Sediqullah Atal added.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), which manages the men’s team, has the full backing of the country’s Taliban government, which forced the United States and its allies out of the country before seizing power in 2021.

The Taliban rulers, yet to be recognised by any country, have effectively banned women from sports however under their austere interpretation of Islam.

Afghanistan’s participation in the World Cup therefore comes with some controversy, skirting the International Cricket Council’s rules which stipulate all Test-playing nations must have a women’s side.

The ICC has previously said the matter is “pending”, allowing Afghanistan to compete — although England and Australia have refused to play them outside the World Cup.

‘They are our heroes’

Despite decades of war and poverty Afghan cricket has strengthened, with new academies, sponsorship deals and tournament financing.

Their first match at the 2024 World Cup is on June 4 against Uganda in Guyana.

“Our team has arrived and are playing at a very high level in a short space of time,” cricket enthusiast Afzal Khan, who trains at the Rashid Khan Cricket Academy in Kabul, told AFP.

“They are our heroes, they will have a place in my heart forever,” said the 19-year-old, who hopes to fill the shoes of Afghan captain and ace spinner Rashid Khan.

“They have struggled through lots of difficulties to bring the team and our cricket to this level.”

In an interview published by the ACB last week, Khan pledged: “We will shine well in this World Cup too, and match the expectations of our compatriots.”

Back home in Kabul, another young cricketer in training made those expectations very clear. Naseem Khan told AFP “this will be the best World Cup for Afghanistan”.