Afghanistan Stuns New Zealand in T20 World Cup Upset

Afghanistan's stunning 84-run victory over New Zealand in the T20 World Cup was a testament to their unwavering belief in their own abilities. Captain Rashid Khan, who played a pivotal role with a masterful bowling performance of 4/17, emphasized the importance of self-confidence and a focus on their own skills rather than dwelling on their opponents' strengths.

"Now, we need to beat the teams with our own skills rather than think about the opposition and that's the only thing I have been telling the guys like just make sure we look into our skills," Rashid said after the match.

For Rashid, effort is paramount, as he believes that if a team is good enough, results will naturally follow. "It doesn't matter whoever we play, it's more about how good you are, how good you're going to play and what type of energy you are coming with into the ground and that for me is very important. I don't care about the result a lot to be honest. I care more about the effort we put, that's something which gives me lots of pleasure."

Afghanistan's victory was particularly significant as it marked their first T20 World Cup win over a top-tier nation. In the past, they had stunned England, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka in the ODI World Cup, but their T20 World Cup record had been less impressive.

"We haven't had those victories in T20 World Cups. We had in ODI, but in T20, I feel like this was one of the best performance from the guys," said Rashid.

Afghanistan's victory was also a testament to the team's resilience and determination. They had lost their opening match of the tournament to England, but they bounced back with a convincing win over Namibia. Against New Zealand, they faced a formidable opponent, but they never lost their belief.

"We have a very good team, we have a very good bowling attack, we have a very good batting lineup, and we have a very good fielding side," said Rashid. "We just need to believe in ourselves and we need to play our best cricket."

Afghanistan's victory has sent shockwaves through the T20 World Cup and has established them as a team to watch. They will face India in their next match, and a win against the tournament favorites would further cement their status as a rising force in world cricket.

Tags: #T20WorldCup, #Afghanistan, #NewZealand, #RashidKhan, #Cricket