3 reasons why Afghanistan are dangerous for India even without Rashid Khan
India will take on Afghanistan in a 3-match T20I series at home. For the hosts, this will be the final fixture before the T20 World Cup later this year. Afghanistan will look to capitalize on their progress from the 2023 ODI World Cup as they gear up for nine T20Is leading to the T20 World Cup. These will be important matches for them as they will allow them to finalize their first-choice XI, with adjustments as needed.
For this series against India, a 19-member squad was initially selected. Rashid Khan, who is recovering from back surgery, has been ruled out of the series. Consequently, Ibrahim Zadran will take up captaincy in his absence.
Here we take a look at 3 reasons why Afghanistan are dangerous for India even without Rashid Khan:
#3 Enough IPL experience in the ranks
Afghanistan did encounter a few hiccups recently when Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq, and Mujeeb Ur Rahman expressed a desire to exit their central contracts for franchise cricket. However, after some negotiations, all three players have returned to the national team and are anticipated to play significant roles.
These are three important Afghanistan players since they are all experienced and know Indian conditions, courtesy of their participation in the IPL. Farooqi and Naveen will enjoy the Indian conditions and have shown in the past that they have the temperament to trip even the fanciest sides – especially in T20 cricket.
#2 Firepower in batting
Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi – this is a serious batting order, and even if two players get going, they will put a lot of pressure on the Indian bowling attack. We also need to consider the conditions in Mohali where dew is expected to play a huge role under lights and these batters can have a field day if they hit their stride.
The only glaring issue for Afghanistan is that these batters tend to get stuck and rotation of strike becomes a problem. If they sort out this issue, they can be a real threat to this Indian bowling attack that is still relatively inexperienced.
#1 Spin threat
Rashid Khan is a big miss for Afghanistan, but they still have enough quality in their spin bowling department. Qais Ahmed and Mujeeb ur Rahman are serious spin bowlers and although they will be challenged by the Indian batters, they have the mettle to cause some real concerns.
The visitors also have Noor Ahmad – the young left-arm spinner who has been part of the Gujarat Titans squad. He can be used as an x-factor against this Indian batting. And there is always the dependable Mohammad Nabi who can chip in with his handy off-spin as per the needs and match-ups. It looks like a well-rounded bowling attack and despite Rashid Khan’s absence, Afghanistan can challenge the hosts since they have a power-packed team – a side that has done very well in T20 cricket in the recent past.