Having only played in two Cricket World Cups, the 2019 campaign in England was not one to remember for Afghanistan. Over nine games they experienced nine losses, one game standing out for Eoin Morgan dispatching their bowlers to hit the most sixes in an ODI innings.
Four years on, Afghanistan look a much improved team. With world class spin bowlers and a solid opening partnership, Afghanistan will be hoping to put some wins on the board.
Who’s In The Team?
Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain)
Ibrahim Zadran
Rahmanullah Gurbaz
Rahmat Shah
Riaz Hassan
Najibullah Zadran
Mohammad Nabi
Ikram Alikhil
Azmatullah Omarzai
Rashid Khan
Abdul Rahman
Noor Ahmad
Mujeeb Ur Rahman
Fazalhaq Farooqi
Naveen-Ul-Haq
What’s The Story?
A winless World Cup is something that no team wants to think about, but was the reality that faced Afghanistan in 2019. The state of play going into 2023 is about proving to the world that this is a stronger team than it was four years ago.
Indeed, this is a team more suited to the conditions this time around. Where English conditions saw even their finest spinners brutalised, there is hope that Indian conditions will see them leaving their mark on the game.
It is after all, these very Indian conditions where Afghan cricketers have done a very good job of showing their talent. In the most recent edition of the IPL we saw the usual magic of Rashid Khan, but this time several others joined the party. Naveen, Gurbaz, and Noor Ahmad all starred, showcasing just what Afghanistan has to offer white ball cricket. With players fit and firing, this is certainly a team more than capable of springing a surprise or two.
Strengths
Rashid Khan and Friends
No good preview for Afghanistan’s World Cup could start anywhere else but with Rashid Khan. For years now we have seen him befuddle the best batters in the world, claiming wickets everywhere he goes.
Due to his heroics in the IPL it is natural that conversation tends to focus on his ability in the shortest format, but his ODI record is equally impressive. In 92 games for Afghanistan, Rashid Khan has taken 170 wickets at a formidable average of 19.
As a white ball spinner there is no one on his level. With his rapid bowling action, Rashid Khan beats batters due to their inability to read him. With subtle changes of direction it is a regular occurrence seeing top quality players look like amateurs.
Of course, no team can rely on one player. One of Afghanistan’s strengths is the support given to Rashid Khan by their other spinners. For a while now they lined up with a reliable trio, Khan being partnered by Mohammad Nabi (off-breaks) and Mujeeb Ur Rahman (off-breaks).
With players spinning the ball both ways Afghanistan have been able to challenge right-handers and left-handers alike. Where the team has become even more exciting is with the breakout of Noor Ahmad in the IPL. At only 18 years of age, Noor picked up 16 wickets in his 13 games for Gujarat Titans.
What makes Noor such a talent is the fact he has the highly rare but valuable skillset of being a left-armed wrist spinner. Due to their rarity this is a type of spinner who is often very difficult to pick, players are simply not used to the angles they are bringing into play.
If Afghanistan arrive at a ground and find a used or dry pitch, their opponents may be in for a very difficult day.
Top Order Stars
Stepping away from the bowling attack, Afghanistan should also be excited about the potential of their opening partnership. Both aged 21, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran make for an exciting pair.
Although both are relatively new to the format, their records to this point make for fine reading. Gurbaz averages 41 (five centuries and two fifties), whilst Zadran averages 56.5 (four centuries and four fifties).
The nature of 50-Over cricket is that a strong opening stand can be vital. In the ten overs of Powerplay 1 you can get the innings off to a flying start, and in doing so set a platform for the rest of the team to build upon.
As two very young players, the hope for Afghanistan is that they continue to grow. This will almost certainly be their biggest challenge yet, but the signs so far are that these are players capable of making the step up.
Take Gurbaz for example. In his first IPL season he showed his quality with a knock against Gujarat Titans where he scored a rapid 81 off 39. If Afghanistan fans want to be even more excited they should enjoy the fact the dismissal was caught Rashid Khan bowled Noor Ahmad.
Compared to 2019 there should be more faith in Afghanistan’s ability to bat competitively, their openers will be vital in this pursuit.
Areas of Concern
World Cup Experience
The flip side of being a country that’s cricketing landscape is rapidly changing is that you lose out on the value of experience. Of Afghanistan’s fifteen-man squad there are eight debutants. This can bring two problems.
The first is that it highlights a potential lack of career experience when it comes to the format. In the 2023 World Cup there are multiple players in the Afghanistan squad who are very exciting but lack the proven ODI track record.
An example of this is Naveen Ul-Haq. Naveen last played an ODI two years ago as he took a break from the format to prioritise his T20 game. As a move in modern cricket the logic makes plenty of sense, but it now places an extra pressure on him for this tournament. With only seven career ODIs it will require some learning on the job. Skill is not the question, but rather experience.
The other is the more general idea of pressure within a tournament. World Cups put players under the microscope, with a schedule that constantly requires performance, travel, or preparation.
A luxury enjoyed by teams like England and Australia is that they have a settled core of players who have been through this before. Over half the Afghanistan team are experiencing their first ODI World Cup. How well they handle this challenge will determine how competitive they can be.
Top Order Overreliance
For how impressive Gurbaz and Zadran have been, it can also be interpreted as an overreliance. In essence this is the fear that if the top order does not score runs then there is no one to save the day.
Indeed, this is something reflected within the numbers. In this World Cup Cycle only Pakistan (58.33%) have had a higher percentage of their runs scored by their top 3 batters. With the top 3 scoring 52.27% of the team’s runs, Afghanistan have to make sure they respond if they lose early wickets.
What makes this all the more interesting is the speculation about what characteristics the pitches may have. Where many pundits still talk about India as a country dominated by turning tracks there is a high chance that the pitches in this World Cup offer plenty for seamers. With many World Cup teams blessed with elite Powerplay bowling options, there is a heap of pressure on Afghanistan’s openers to hold their own.
Arithmetic
In one of modern cricket’s greatest mess ups, Afghanistan threw away the chance to beat Sri Lanka and qualify for the Super 4 in the Asia Cup due to some very bad mathematics. Not knowing that they could still win with 295, Afghanistan went out with a whimper.
This is almost entirely in jest but there is no way you can afford to make a mistake like this in a World Cup. Expect Afghanistan’s analysts to be double checking their workings going forward.
2023 World Cup Previews: England | New Zealand | Netherlands
