3 reasons why Afghanistan are dark horses for the T20 World Cup 2024
The Afghanistan cricket team have been one of the most exciting sides in white-ball cricket in recent times. Their meteoric rise includes several upsets and several statement wins, earning the right to be feared by their opponents.
Afghanistan's threat increases by arguably tenfold when it comes to the shortest format of the game. With the majority of their players regular starters for franchises across the world, they are quite adept with T20 cricket, and they are potentially one major win against a top side away from making a serious run in the upcoming 2024 T20 World Cup.
The Rashid Khan-led side's group includes heavyweights like the West Indies and New Zealand, as well as minnows like Papua New Guinea and Uganda. However, if the start of the tournament is any indication, one cannot afford to take any team lightly in the tournament. This applies to Afghanistan's opponents as well as Afghanistan themselves.
Afghanistan squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Ishaq, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat, Rashid Khan (c), Nangyal Kharoti, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi, and Fareed Ahmad Malik.
On that note, let us take a look at three reasons why Afghanistan are dark horse for the T20 World Cup 2024.
#1 Afghanistan's experienced spin bowling unit can wreak havoc in Caribbean conditions
The major takeaway from any Afghanistan team ever has been their spin attack. Nabi's experience, Mujeeb's mystery, Rashid's prowess, and Noor's innate wicket-taking ability altogether combined make for a deadly combination, and they have the ideal conditions to fully capitalize on their biggest strength.
Afghanistan will look to chip in with at least 12 overs of bonafide spin bowling while they also have an experienced and quality seam attack led by Naveen ul-Haq that can handle the remaining overs.
The initial matches have already shown how crucial spin is in the powerplay, and Afghanistan have the ideal candidate in Mujeeb for the same. As far as the middle overs are concerned, Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmed can bowl in tandem and can spin a serious web around the opposition batting unit.
#2 Number of their players are vastly experienced playing in the West Indies
The Caribbean Islands are no stranger to the Afghanistan players. Top Afghan players have prominently featured in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) for years now, and have got a great grasp on the conditions as well.
The likes of Naveen-ul-Haq, Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, and Najibullah Zadran among others have all played in the league from time to time.
Although it is not a huge advantage, it still holds relevance. Other teams certainly will take a while adapting to such conditions, and Afghanistan might not be spared entirely from it, but they certainly have a headstart over the others.
It might not be too far-fetched to say that after co-hosts West Indies, it might be Afghanistan who might have the best idea of conditions, and they can use it to their advantage, particularly in the early stages of the tournament.
#3 They have grown in stature through each ICC tournament in recent years
The last time the Caribbean hosted the T20 World Cup also marked Afghanistan's maiden venture at the highest level. However, it was not until 2016 that they became a regular feature and a threat in ICC competitions.
However, at that time, they were arguably still raw, and the lack of experience and game time against big sides were clearly on show. The sole unanimous positive ruling was the talent on show. With more exposure at the international level and franchise cricket, and with more reputable names in the coaching staff over the years, Afghanistan have evolved to be a well-rounded cricket side.
One of the biggest drawbacks of the side in the past has been the lopsided nature of their batting and bowling prowess. However, skipper Rashid Khan has brushed it aside as a thing of the past. The recent 2023 ODI World Cup is an excellent example where the batters stood up and played a huge role in Afghanistan finishing sixth in the points table, above the likes of England and Sri Lanka.
Their threat increases with each passing ICC event, and there would only be a few that would still remark Afghanistan's win over any top side as an 'upset.'