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New Delhi: Afghanistan are good enough to win the T20 World Cup but are still raw in Tests, feels chief selector Asadullah Khan.
Due to the presence of several Afghan cricketers in domestic T20 franchise leagues, they have become a competitive unit in the 20-over format.
But limited opportunities to play red-ball cricket has stunted their growth in the traditional format though they remain keen to improve.
“I would credit Rashid Khan and the Afghanistan Cricket Board for building a strong unit with the few matches we’ve had. Our opening pair is settled, the middle order is improving, and our spin and pace attacks are among the best in the world. We genuinely believe we can win the (T20) World Cup,” Khan told PTI.
“Tests are still new for us, and we haven’t had enough opportunities. We’re getting fewer matches, which makes it difficult to develop consistency in this format.”
Due to political unrest in their country and lack of infrastructure, Afghanistan have trained in India for several years and Khan was grateful to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for support.
“We are thankful to all teams that continue to play with us, especially India. The BCCI has played a major role, not just by providing us grounds but also through the IPL, where eight of our players compete in the world’s best league,” he said.
Australia’s reluctance to play in bilateral series against them over Taliban government's restrictions on women is against the ethos of the "gentleman's spirit" of the game, he said.
“Our women’s cricket team hasn’t played any matches in recent years, and this will take time to change. But Cricket Australia and other Boards linking cricket with politics — I don’t think that’s a good sign for the gentleman’s game,” Khan said.
He acknowledged that Afghanistan's women’s cricket face challenges but isolation instead of engagement is not the way to deal with it.
“The way Australia and other countries are treating Afghanistan cricket — there are cultural factors involved, and the nation hasn’t yet accepted some changes. But refusing to play with us because of that will only hurt men’s cricket too,” he pointed out.
“We didn’t get ICC full-member status as a charity; we earned it through our performance and credibility. Our spin attack is the best in the world, and our winning percentage is impressive. If, despite all this, some countries are politicising our cricket, it’s like bringing a great team down.”
