Afghanistan's Domestic and Franchise Experience Fuels T20 World Cup Success

Afghanistan's impressive run in the ongoing T20 World Cup, where they have secured a berth in the Super Eight stage, is a testament to the experience gained by their players in domestic and franchise cricket, according to captain Rashid Khan.

After registering three consecutive wins in the group stage, Afghanistan became the second team from Group C to advance to the next round, following co-hosts West Indies. Khan praised his team's ability to adapt to different conditions, as evidenced by their seven-wicket victory against Papua New Guinea.

Opting to bowl first, Afghanistan restricted PNG to a meager 95 runs in 19.5 overs, with Fazalhaq Farooqi and Naveen-ul-Haq claiming three and two wickets, respectively. In the chase, Gulbadin Naib's unbeaten 49 guided Afghanistan to victory with 29 balls to spare.

"Our openers have given us solid starts in the last two games, and today was a chance for others to get some time in the middle," Khan said after the match. "We had a domestic competition before coming here, and everyone is in good form."

Khan emphasized the importance of franchise cricket experience, which has allowed his players to familiarize themselves with different conditions. "Some of them have played at St Lucia and know how the pitch will play, which helps others," he said. "Everyone has the skill to adjust to any condition."

The star spinner attributed Afghanistan's success to the collective efforts of the team. "It's a great feeling to qualify for the next round," he said. "The boys have put in a lot of effort since the first game. They know what they need to do and have executed it beautifully."

Khan highlighted the contributions of wicketkeeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz and pacer Farooqi. "It's important to have someone like Gurbaz who can take on the bowling or Farooqi who can pick up wickets in the powerplay," he said. "If the batter is attacking, then as a bowler, you have to attack too, especially with pitches helping you."

Afghanistan will face West Indies in their final group stage encounter on June 17 in Tarouba.

Tags: #T20WorldCup, #AfghanistanCricket, #RashidKhan, #DomesticCricket, #FranchiseCricket