Madness minus method! Adamant Afghanistan's one-dimensional batting approach threatens to derail impressive T20 World Cup campaign
'Live by the sword, die by the sword' goes the famous saying, and Afghanistan seem to be taking it a bit too seriously, especially when it comes to their batting. It goes without saying that daredevilry is the USP of the team's batting. But, at times, your biggest strength can prove to be your undoing. And that is exactly what Afghanistan have experienced in their last two 2024 T20 World Cup defeats.
Rashid Khan and co. began their campaign in the ICC event in striking fashion, registering three consecutive wins in Group C. They posted 183-5 against Uganda and 159-6 against New Zealand. In both matches, their openers featured in 100-plus stands.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz clobbered 76 off 45 in the team's first match and followed it up with 80 off 56, while his partner Ibrahim Zadran contributed 70 off 46 and 44 off 41 respectively. Against Papua New Guinea, they were only chasing 96, so their batting wasn't tested as such.
Lack of adaptability hurting Afghanistan's progress
There is no doubt that the Afghanistan team has made rapid strides in international cricket over the last few seasons. Their brilliant performances in the ODI World Cup in India last year stands testimony to the fact that they have come a long way and are no longer a minnow in international cricket. At the same time, they are still far away from achieving the level of consistency that other top teams manage.
One of the key factors holding them back is the refusal of their batters to adapt to the conditions on offer. The stubborn approach did not hurt them in the group stage, but there were signs of things to come. Against Uganda, Afghanistan went from 154 for no loss to 181-5 in a matter of a few overs. Against New Zealand as well, they slipped from 103-0 to 158-6.
Having survived two batting collapses, Afghanistan ought to have been a bit more flexible in their approach against form teams. They refused to learn and paid the price with heavy defeats against West Indies and India. In both the matches, their batting never got going and looked like a shadow of the team that dominated the bowling in the first couple of games.
Did Gurbaz give it away even before the match against India began?
In a pre-match discussion ahead of Afghanistan's first Super 8 clash against India in Barbados, attacking opener Gurbaz made a statement that reiterates the above point about lack of adaptability in the batting department. Speaking to ICC, he said:
"Honestly, my target is not just Jasprit Bumrah. I will look to target all bowlers there are five bowlers who generally bowl and I have to tackle them. It's just a battle against Bumrah. Maybe another bowler could get me out. But yes, if I get a chance to hit him (Bumrah), let's go for it. It could be Bumrah, Arshdeep or Siraj. If anyone bowls in my area, then I'll hit them. Either I'll hit them or I will get out."
In context of his above statement, Gurbaz's dismissal in the match against India on Thursday was least surprising. Bumrah knew what was coming and plotting the Afghanistan opener's wicket was all too easy for a genius like him.
Mind you, it would be unfair to be blatantly critical of the Asian team's batting approach. After all, this uncomplicated method has brought them a lot of success at the international stage. But, their approach has reached that point where teams know - come what may, Afghanistan will only bat this way. And that is where the problem arises. This is an area of their game they need to address rather swiftly.
Rashid Khan admits Afghanistan could have been 'smarter' with the bat
Lack of versatility in batting is probably the biggest takeaway for the Afghanistan side from the huge defeats to West Indies and India. And their experienced skipper Rashid Khan knows that all too well. Speaking after the loss to India, he conceded:
"We knew we'd be chasing 160-170 given it was against a bigger team. We could've done it had we executed smarter."
In the wake of their disappointing efforts in their last two T20 World Cup matches, it would be intriguing to observe Afghanistan's batting approach in their remaining Super 8 games against Australia and Bangladesh. Their bold approach with the willow makes for a great viewing experience. At the same time, a bit of brain to go with the brawn can only make them that much more dangerous side as a batting outfit.