Afghanistan Nationwide Cricket Staff captain Rashid Khan has fired again at critics after his group was labelled the “second-best Asian group” following their disappointing Asia Cup 2025 marketing campaign within the UAE. Rashid Khan made it clear that this tag got here from the media, not from the group itself.
The spin wizard has additionally expressed frustration at how folks mocked the Afghanistan Nationwide Cricket Staff after they failed to succeed in the Tremendous-4 stage of the lately concluded Asia Cup 2025. India received the Asia Cup 2025 ultimate in Dubai on September 28 after thrashing Pakistan by 5 wickets.
Rashid Khan defends Afghanistan’s Asia Cup 2025 efficiency
Regardless of being thought of one of many favorites to carry the trophy after stable performances in previous multi-nation occasions, Afghanistan didn’t make it to the Tremendous 4 spherical after they suffered a slim loss to Bangladesh and a heavy defeat to Sri Lanka.
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Rashid defined that inconsistent preparation and restricted T20Is forward of the Asia Cup 2025 affected the group’s rhythm. The skipper additionally talked about how his bowling assault struggled in favorable situations, and the batting usually fell brief within the continental event.
Rashid Khan was quoted as saying by News18 forward of the Bangladesh sequence, “There may be one factor which is at all times going across the media: folks calling us the second-best Asian group. We didn’t say that, however I believe up to now, we carried out, and that’s the place we acquired the tag.
For those who look into the Asia Cup, the World Cup semifinal, and the ODI World Cup, we now have overwhelmed massive groups. Champions Trophy, we beat England. That’s why we acquired the tag. Sooner or later, if we don’t carry out properly, we will certainly be quantity three, 4, 5, or six. I really feel we haven’t given ourselves that tag.”
He insisted that the Afghan gamers are at all times making an attempt their greatest to be a greater group and to carry out higher on the day, however typically issues don’t go the best way they’d hope to, and that’s part of the sport.
Rashid additional famous, “I really feel like these days, the extra you make enjoyable of somebody, the extra folks such as you. And I really feel prefer it’s occurring on a special stage. After which it doesn’t look good.”
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Rashid Khan centered on constructing a powerful Afghanistan squad for the T20 World Cup 2026
The Afghan spinner has additionally insisted that the group’s focus is firmly on the long run. He burdened that each match is a studying alternative, and they’re now dedicated to constructing a balanced and aggressive squad forward of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka.
The captain has emphasised that Afghanistan will proceed to play with starvation and a optimistic mindset, aiming to carry out constantly and show their value on the massive stage.
Rashid signed off by saying, “I believe each sport could be very aggressive. It isn’t like we didn’t play aggressive cricket within the Asia Cup. For us, each sport is aggressive. We’re not right here simply to have enjoyable, get pleasure from, after which return. We now have a goal, and the goal is how we’re going to be an ideal and balanced facet for the following World Cup, and that’s the mindset any longer.”
Notably, Bangladesh and Afghanistan are all set to play a three-match T20I sequence within the UAE. The primary match is scheduled on Thursday, October 2, on the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah.
