'That’s the focus of everyone back home' - Rashid Khan feels Afghanistan can win the T20 World Cup

Afghanistan had one of the biggest rises in stature in international cricket. From not having a proper team until the mid-2000s to qualifying for the T20 World Cup in 2010 to getting a full-member status in 2017. Factor in the fact that through this entire period, the country was in absolute turmoil politically and now even socially, the Afghanistan cricket team’s rise is nothing short of a wonderful story with a background of the sport. 

Their biggest star, Rashid Khan, believes that his team can win a World Cup someday and they have set their eyes on the T20 World Cup. It makes sense considering the team that Afghanistan has shaped. They have three world-class spinners in Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, all three of whom have played in franchises T20 cricket all over the world. 

They have talents coming in every year. Players like Zahir Khan, Qais Ahmed and Noor Ahmad have been creating a buzz around the world as well. Slowly, we might see batters getting chances in T20 leagues as well. Interestingly enough, Afghanistan played three T20 World Cups before their first shot at the 50 overs World Cup. For the 2021 edition, they beat Sri Lanka and Bangladesh to confirm their spot in the top confirmed places in the main round. 

‘I’m pretty sure we’re going to achieve that target in the future’ – Rashid Khan on World Cup dreams

“We have that target in the future that one day we have the ability to win the World Cup, especially the T20 World Cup. That’s the focus of everyone back home. That’s the dream of everyone, that’s the target of every player and we are capable of achieving that target. We have that belief in our skills and ourselves, and I’m pretty sure we’re going to achieve that target in the future,” Rashid Khan said in an interview with ICC’s media team.

“That’s the dream of everyone, that’s the target of every player and we are capable of achieving that target.”@rashidkhan_19 on @ACBofficials’ lofty #T20WorldCup dreams 👇https://t.co/cdNRzaAcqJ

— ICC (@ICC) September 29, 2021

Rashid reflected upon the success which his team has got in the last few years. “We have achieved a lot over the last 10 years as a team. Where we came from, where we had no facilities, we came from that stage and we’ve played lots of World Cups. It’s a dream of every country to be called a Test team and we’ve got that as well, we’ve played Test games. We have achieved a lot,” Khan added. 

Afghanistan’s participation in the T20 World Cup 2021 was brought to question because of the Taliban takeover and subsequent banning of women’s cricket, but it seems that the ICC has taken a fair call to let the men take part. Afghanistan will play their first match in the T20 World Cup 2021 on October 25 in Sharjah.