Afghanistan may not be rated highly but they made the semifinals of the last ICC event and have become a formidable ODI team in the last couple of years.
The Afghanistan cricket team will start their ICC Champions Trophy campaign against South Africa on February 21. The same team that battered them in the semifinal of the 2024 T20 World Cup. The tournament was historic. It was Afghanistan’s maiden ICC semifinal. At the Champions Trophy, the Afghan Atalans would have the opportunity to reach their first-ever final.
Strengths: Spin, openers & all-rounders
Afghanistan has the best bowling record in ODIs since 2022. Their pacers have started doing well, but it’s the spinners who do the heavy lifting. Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangeyalia Kharote, and Noor Ahmad will be a handful, especially in the middle overs. They have great variety with left-arm orthodox and wrist spinners. And right-arm orthodox and wrist spinners.
Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmanullah Gurbaz keep them in matches. They average 48.84 with 1514 runs in 31 innings while opening the innings. Considering how good their bowling is, they win by posting average totals. That is where Zadran and Gurbaz shine. They also have a plethora of all-rounders. Nabi, Rashid, and Kharote are already mentioned above but they also have Gulbadin Naib and Azmatullah Omarzai, both of whom bowl pace and great batters as well.
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Weaknesses: Middle-order, pace attack & group of death
They have a great opener, but the middle order isn’t bankable. Omarzai is talented and has a great record as well, but he has no support. Nabi usually comes late and is more of a finisher. Ikram Alikhil can do the job, but his returns aren’t great, and the same goes for Gulbadin Naib as well.
The retirement of Naveen-ul-Haq will hurt Afghanistan. Fazalhaq Farooqi will be the strike pacer; he has shown what he can do in the 2024 T20 World Cup with the new ball but doesn’t have much support in the middle and death overs. Omarzai will swing the ball up front. The other two less-known pacers are Farid Ahmad (left-arm pacer) and Naveed Zadran (right-arm pacer).
The biggest concern for Afghanistan might be being placed with South Africa, Australia, and England. Lose one match, and the chance of getting knocked out increases exponentially. Just look at how Pakistan’s semifinal qualification chances look like after losing the ICC Champions Trophy opener to New Zealand.
Afghanistan’s squad for the ICC Champions Trophy
Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Ikram Alikhil (wk), Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangeyalia Kharote, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Farid Ahmad, Naveed Zadran.
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