Afghanistan’s cricket captain, Hashmatullah Shahidi, expressed confidence ahead of their Champions Trophy debut, highlighting their recent victory against South Africa and their focus on performance. Despite missing young spinner AM Ghazanfar due to injury, the team boasts experienced spinners like Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi. Shahidi noted strong support from Afghan fans in Karachi, aiming for the title rather than just participation. He emphasized Afghanistan’s cricketing facilities and talent, countering claims of inadequate resources. He expressed hope for international cricket to return to Afghanistan, citing high local interest and turnout at domestic events.
“Since 2019, there’s been a significant change, and just recently we triumphed over them [South Africa] in Sharjah with a score of 2-1. This victory has given us confidence, and we’re not feeling any pressure,” Shahidi mentioned during his press briefing on Thursday. “Our focus is on what we can achieve in this tournament, and I truly believe our team is well-prepared for it. We are concentrating on our own game, and there’s no pressure on us.”
“Firstly, regarding the local crowd – there are many Afghans here,” Shahidi stated. “They reside in Karachi and throughout Pakistan, and I believe a lot of Pashtun people are cheering for us. Yesterday, we felt a great atmosphere with lots of supporters shouting for us during training, which boosts our confidence about our performance.”
“We’re performing exceptionally well, and in this tournament, our intention is to compete and aim for the championship,” Shahidi expressed. “We’re not here just to participate; we are fully committed to winning this event. Over the past two years, we have played a lot of high-quality cricket, and this is an excellent opportunity for us since our players are experienced and the conditions suit us. Let’s kick off tomorrow with a victory and maintain this momentum throughout the tournament.”
“I’ve mentioned this in Pashto, but let me reiterate, as I’ve heard a lot from media in other countries claiming that Afghanistan lacks facilities, stadiums, and academies. That’s completely untrue,” Shahidi noted. “We have excellent facilities, cricket academies, and High Performance Centres in Kabul and Jalalabad, as well as stadiums in every part of Afghanistan. We do possess the facilities to invite teams to come to Afghanistan, but due to certain security issues, other countries have been hesitant to visit. I hope it won’t be long before one of them does, and you will see the enthusiastic crowd as well.”
“During our domestic cricket matches, the stadiums are always full. Many people even wait outside to get in, with attendance sometimes exceeding 50,000 for finals. I am confident that if any team visits Afghanistan, there will be thousands of fans ready to fill the stadium, as cricket is hugely popular there. We eagerly anticipate that day, and hopefully it comes soon.”