Rashid Khan (Photo Source: X/Twitter)
Afghanistan started their T20 World Cup 2024 campaign with comprehensive wins against Uganda, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea. Having already booked their place in the Super Eight stage, the Blue Tigers suffered a 104-run defeat to the West Indies in their last game in Group C on Tuesday, June 18.
Afghanistan skipper Rashid Khan asserted that his team is going to take the positives and learnings from the one-sided loss against the two-time champions and bounce back strongly in the Super Eight stage of the marquee event.
“The way they batted, scoring around 90 runs in the powerplay, it is tough to come back from that. But in the middle overs we did well and it was good to restrict them under 200. This game is good for understanding mindset and strategy. Hope to not repeat,” Rashid said at the post-match party.
“We take the positives with us, like fielding, middle-overs bowling, and Noor’s spell,” the 25-year-old added. The young left-arm wrist spinner conceded only 20 runs in his four overs in an innings where the West Indies amassed 218/5.
The different pitches coming up, we’ll adjust to them: Rashid
Afghanistan are placed alongside India, Australia, and Bangladesh in Group 1 in the Super Eights. They face India in their next game on Thursday, June 20, in Bridgetown, Barbados. Rashid said that his team is looking forward to the challenge against Rohit Sharma’s men. Afghanistan will be facing Australia and Bangladesh in Kingstown, St Vincent. The talismanic leg-spinner is hoping that his team will be able to adjust to the pitches on offer at the different venues.
“We’re looking forward to the challenge against India. The defeat against West Indies gave us valuable lessons, and we’re ready to implement those learnings in the Super Eight. We’ve achieved what we wanted – to get to the Super Eights. The different pitches coming up… we’ll adjust to them. Good learning this loss happened at this stage, [and] not in a do-or-die game,” the Afghan skipper concluded.