Afghanistan has once again impressed in the Asia Cup. They were the first team to qualify for the Super-4s, after ruthlessly demolishing Sri Lanka. They further helped knock out Bangladesh as well, who failed to make an impact. However, the hosts and eventually Pakistan qualified for the finals. Both teams beat Afghanistan and India to book to their slot for the Asia Cup 2022 trophy.
Many experts have pointed towards them to be the dark horses of the tournament, with Ajay Jadeja going as far as saying that he won’t be surprised if they knock the likes of India or Pakistan out of the tournament (which eventually didn’t happen). While the Afghan unit has played brilliantly as a team, the contributions of a few of their players makes them stand out from the rest.
We take a look at the 5 players from Afghanistan to watch out for in the remainder of the tournament-
1. Rashid Khan
A legend in the making already. Rashid Khan is the talisman of the Afghanistan team. He has been one of the elite bowlers in the shortest format of the game. At just the age of 23, he has played in some of the best and most competitive leagues across the globe. He has a lot of experience and remains a mystery to all batsmen that face him.
With wickets pouring in for the attacking spinner in each game, he is breaking record after record. It is clearly a testament of the class and quality of the man. Rashid Khan will surely be the first name on any team sheet for any T20 side.
2. Mujeeb-ur-Rahman
Supporting his compatriot capably is Rashid Khan’s spin twin (as some fans like to call them), Mujeeb-ur-Rahman. In the couple of matches the Afghani side has played in the tournament so far, Mujeeb has 5 wickets at an economy of just 5.00 an over. The best part about his bowling is that he can bowl at any time in a match, at the start in the powerplay, in the middle overs and even in the death overs.
3. Rahmanullah Gurbaz
This young keeper-batsman could not showcase much of his talent for the Gujarat Titans. Though he did win the tournament with them, the player would want to leave his mark in the future seasons. He will also want to showcase his range of aggressive strokes and power-hitting for his national side, like he did in the first game of Asia Cup 2022, where he hit a well deserved 40 off just 18 balls.
He also looked positive in the run-chase against Bangladesh, with some controlled aggression on display. He successfully managed to lay a platform for the other power-hitters that followed him and helped his team secure an easy win. Gurbaz is a reliable presence behind the stumps and surely a star in the making.
4. Najibullah Zadran
Najibullah Zadran has been developing his game for years now and has made his name as one of the most devastating finishers in T20 cricket. He got the perfect opportunity to showcase his talent in the win versus Bangladesh.
Chasing a low score against Bangladesh, with their spinners bowling in tandem and with a good rhythm, Najib decided to take matters into his own hands. The batter went absolutely berserk, playing proper cricketing shots. He demolished the Bangladeshi spin attack on the night.
He is a power hitter of the highest order and will be a massive headache for Team India as well.
5. Mohammad Nabi
Leading the team is the effervescent
Mohammad Nabi. The skipper sometimes does go under the radar, but he is more than happy to do his business quietly. He does not talk that often but lets his actions do that for him and his entire team follows suit.
He is the third spinner in the team and an above-average all-rounder. Afghanistan does rely on him at times to get them over the line and he can surely be a threat for the rivals. Further, his leadership skills also make him a captain that knows what he is doing in the field.
