Following the nine-wicket defeat to South Africa in the ICC T20 World Cup semi-final, Afghanistan skipper Rashid Khan expressed disappointment with the loss but happiness with the team’s overall campaign, pointing to the success of pacers and spinners in this “great learning experience.”

The big match inexperience of Afghanistan was visible as their batting line-up folded for just 56 runs, thanks to fiery spells from pacers Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen in the powerplay and Tabraiz Shamsi’s spin.

Rashid Khan’s leadership

Rashid Khan’s journey as captain has been nothing short of inspirational. Leading a young and relatively inexperienced side, Rashid has been the cornerstone of Afghanistan’s cricketing resurgence. His tactical acumen, combined with his ability to motivate and lead by example, has had a profound impact on the team’s performance throughout the tournament.

Semi-Final match against South Africa

In the semi-final clash against South Africa, Afghanistan faced a stern test. Winning the toss and opting to bat first, Afghanistan struggled against South Africa’s fierce bowling attack. Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada quickly dismantled the top order, reducing Afghanistan to 28/6.

Despite a brief counterattack by Karim Janat and skipper Rashid Khan, Afghanistan was bowled out for a paltry 56 runs in 11.5 overs. The Proteas chased down the target with ease, losing only one wicket in the process.

Post-Match reactions

In the post-match presentation ceremony, Rashid Khan highlighted the challenging conditions and praised the South African bowlers for their exceptional performance.

“It was tough, tough for us as a team. We might have done better but the conditions did not allow us to do what we wanted. That is how T20 cricket is, you need to be ready for all conditions,” Rashid remarked.

Despite the loss, he expressed satisfaction with the team’s overall performance and the valuable lessons learned.

Bowling success

Afghanistan’s campaign saw standout performances from their seamers and spinners. Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Mohammad Nabi were instrumental in providing early breakthroughs, while Rashid Khan himself was a consistent threat with the ball.

The skipper praised his bowlers, stating, “I think we got good success in this tournament because the seamers bowled really well, you need good starts. I think they bowled really well. I think we got good success in this tournament because the seamers bowled really well, you need good starts. I think we were unlucky with Mujeeb’s injury, but our seamers and even Nabi bowled brilliantly with the new ball. That made our job easier as spinners.”

Batting struggles

The semi-final highlighted Afghanistan’s struggles with the bat, particularly on challenging pitches. The top-order collapse against South Africa underscored the need for greater resilience and adaptability in difficult conditions. Rashid acknowledged this, pointing out the need for improvement in the middle-order to take the innings deep and handle pressure situations better.

“We know we have the skills, it is just about managing tough situations, pressure situations. There is some work to be done, especially in the middle, in order to take the innings deep. As I said, it is always learning for our team, and we have achieved good results so far, but we come back doing more hard work, especially in the batting department,” he added.

Team belief and confidence

Despite the semi-final loss, Rashid Khan emphasized the belief and confidence gained from their performances. Reaching the semifinals for the first time is a significant achievement for Afghanistan cricket, and it has instilled a sense of belief that they can compete with the best teams in the world.

“We have enjoyed this tournament. We will accept playing a semi-final and losing to a top side like Africa. It is just the beginning for us, we have the confidence and belief to beat any side. We just need to keep our processes going.” Rashid Khan added.