Afghanistan spin magician Rashid Khan stated on Monday in Dubai that he has benefited from playing in international competitions, but that the country’s rising potential requires more exposure to top-flight opposition.
The squad led by Mohammad Nabi defeated Sri Lanka in the tournament’s opening match and will face Bangladesh in Sharjah on Tuesday.
Rashid remains the brightest star in a galaxy of great players, the majority of whom have faced dark days in the war-torn country, which witnessed another Taliban takeover last year.
Since making their Test debut in India in 2018, the once-minnows have made their presence felt among the cricketing elite despite the odds.
The 23-year-old Rashid, who, along with Nabi and previous skipper Asghar Afghan, has been instrumental in the team’s fairytale climb, stated that they still need more room in the cricket schedule with top teams.
“We have not played a great deal of international cricket, particularly in the longer format. The players have no control over the FTP (future touring programme), Rashid informed reporters on the eve of their second Asia Cup encounter.
“We want to play a great deal of international cricket because it provides possibilities for future players.” They should be provided with an environment conducive to the development of their cricket skills.”
Afghanistan is slated to compete in 53 ODIs, 71 T20Is, and 22 Tests between April 2022 and May 2027, but the majority of these matches will be against lower-ranked opponents such as Ireland and Zimbabwe.
Rashid, a star leg-spinner who competes in several limited-overs tournaments such as the IPL and the Hundred, has taken 112 wickets in 67 T20 internationals.
Rashid stated, “Playing in all of the international leagues provides us with the opportunity to learn from the finest players.”
This is where we gain knowledge, which we then bring to the national level and share with the team. I believe it helps us, especially in the batting aspect, when more players travel internationally and compete in different leagues.
Afghanistan’s profile has risen significantly at the Asia Cup after their eight-wicket victory over Sri Lanka on Saturday, in which they bowled out their opponents for 105 runs in just 10.1 overs. Afghanistan has always been renowned as giant-killers.
Rashid stated, “We prepared well and performed well against Sri Lanka, but that is no longer the case.”
“We focus on one game at a time and give our all in each contest. No matter if the opposing team takes us seriously or not, we work hard and train well.
“For us, every adversary is equally formidable. If we play Hong Kong tomorrow, our preparation will be the same as when we play India.”