Afghans can spring surprises

One can always trust Afghanistan to raise the excitement. The pluck and passion with which they compete, make them a dangerous opposition. It is just their second World Cup but they have already come a long way in the last four years.

Riding on their blend of youth and experience, Afghans have set the bar high. World Cup semifinals is their target. The team had a preparatory camp in Potchefstroom, South Africa and their preparedness will be thoroughly tested when they open against multiple champions Australia on June 1.

Today, Afghanistan can boast of one of the best spin attacks. Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan and Mujeeb ur Rahman have impressed in the international leagues. Their wicket-taking ability during the power play and choking runs in the middle overs make them a lethal combination. The World Cup is their opportunity to show that their talent is not limited to T20 cricket alone.

The trio, with varied styles, have picked up 54 wickets between them in the last 12 months. With pitches in England becoming dry and assisting spins, Afghans have reasons to be confident.

They also have a decent pace attack in Dawlat Zadran, Aftab Alam and skipper Gulbadin Naib. The selection committee made a surprise pick in 31-year-old fast bowler Hamid Hassan, who last played an ODI in 2016. Still, they would have preferred a bit more depth there and risk over-reliance on the spinners.

The appointment of Naib as the captain of the side, two months before the World Cup, sparked consternation among the senior players like Rashid and Nabi. The duo went on social media to criticise the decision to remove Asghar Afghan as the ODI captain. The Afghanistan Cricket Board, later, assured things were sorted out in a “professional” manner.

Batting is an area of concern for Afghanistan. It centers around the likes of attacking Mohammad Shahzad, Rahmat Shah, Afghan and Najibullah Zadran.

Despite all the shortcomings, Afghanistan can always be trusted to play their brand of spirited cricket. The team has experienced several momentous occasions in the last couple of years, which included the Test recognition from the ICC. In fact, they beat Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in the 2017 Asia Cup and played competitively against India and Pakistan.

In their maiden edition, the Afghans could clinch just one win from their six matches -- against Scotland. Four years later, they are an improved version. Already termed as dark horses of World Cup, Afghanistan have promised to play “inspirational cricket”. No team can take those words lightly.

The squad: Gulbadin Naib (capt), Mohammad Shahzad (wk), Noor Ali Zadran, Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmat Shah, Asghar Afghan, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Najibullah Zadran, Samiullah Shinwari, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Dawlat Zadran, Aftab Alam, Hamid Hassan, Mujeeb ur Rahman.