Can Afghanistan live up to elevated expectations?

Snapshot

Afghanistan come into the T20 World Cup as a team that has outgrown the tag of plucky outsiders. Consistent qualification and strong performances across recent ICC events have pushed expectations higher than ever before. With a core that has played a lot of high-level T20 cricket around the world, Afghanistan arrive with the belief that they can go deep into the tournament once more like they did in the last edition. Their bowling resources, especially in spin, continue to define their identity. For Afghanistan, this World Cup is about sustaining what they did in 2024.

The squad, and what it tells us

Rashid Khan (c), Noor Ahmad, Abdullah Ahmadzai, Sediqullah Atal, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ziaur Rahman Sharifi, Mohammad Ishaq, Shahidullah Kamal, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Darwish Rasooli, Ibrahim Zadran

Another Afghanistan squad at a major event that has a threatening spin attack. Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi continue to be at the forefront despite the fact that the latter is 41 now. The rise of Ibrahim Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai and Noor Ahmad in recent years bodes well for them. If that batting department can click, Afghanistan will fancy their chances of going deep into the tournament yet again.

The road to the World Cup

Afghanistan surprisingly didn't even make it to the Super Four stages of the Asia Cup last year. But since then, they have managed to register impressive wins over Zimbabwe and West Indies alongside a solitary win over Qatar sandwiched between them.

Last five T20Is: W-W-W-W-L (latest)

The way they play

One issue Afghanistan had last time despite going as far as the semifinal was their over-reliance on the openers. However, the likes of Sediqullah Atal and Darwish Rasooli have strengthened that batting department in recent times. With a top four that's firing, Afghanistan have great firepower in the middle with the likes of Nabi and Omarzai to constantly push for bigger totals. With the ball, Mujeeb Ur Rahman has been making inroads with the new ball and that aids in them attacking in the middle-overs through Rashid and Noor.

Who can bend a match in 10 balls

Their inspirational skipper Rashid Khan has the ability to turn the game around in a very short span of time. One of the most successful bowlers in T20 cricket of all time, Rashid remains Afghanistan's biggest weapon with the ball. With his ability to use the long handle to good effect, Rashid can also turn games around with the bat at the end of the innings with little cameos that he is now renowned for.

Scheduling

Afghanistan kickstart and finish their group stage campaign in Chennai. In between those fixtures, they will be travelling to Ahmedabad and Delhi. While they are expected to brush aside UAE and Canada, this group will be one to watch out for with South Africa and New Zealand being the other two teams.

Giant killing potential

While it shouldn't really be viewed as an upset given Afghanistan absolutely battered them in the last World Cup, New Zealand are still the fancied team on paper. However, these two teams will clash in Chennai this time to begin their respective campaigns. If the surface does play slow, Afghanistan will fancy their chances to land an early blow on New Zealand. Remember, they did beat Pakistan at the same venue in the 2023 ODI World Cup.

What a good World Cup looks like

Can they follow up their 2024 last-four appearance with something similar? Or something even beyond? In these conditions, Afghanistan certainly have the personnel to push the big guns once again. But merely getting out of their group to make it to Super 8 stages will also be considered a successful campaign for the Asian side.