Those who take Afghanistan cricket onward…
In the last two years, Afghanistan have taken the cricketing world by storm. Afghanistan’s Atalans, as the team is called, advanced to the semi-finals of the 2024 T20 World Cup. A year ago, in the 2023 ODI World Cup, they beat defending champions England and former World Cup winners Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Afghanistan would have made it to the semi-finals if not for Glenn Maxwell’s once-in-a-lifetime double ton against them at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
Over the years, Afghanistan’s victories have been mainly based on the spinners like Rashid Khan, Mujeeb-Ur-Rahman and Noor Ahmed. Strikers Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Hashmatullah Shahidi and Najibullah Zadran have also played their part. Of late, two fast bowlers – Fazalhaq Farooqui and Naveen-ul-Haq – have also turned the tide in Afghanistan’s favour. Not to be forgotten is veteran and Afghanistan cricket legend Mohammad Nabi, who has seen it all – from the days of demoralizing defeats to the modern era of favorable results.
Their successes have inspired a new generation of Afghan cricketers who are ready to take up the mantle and bring more glory to Afghanistan.
Here are some promising ones who will take Afghanistan cricket forward…
Baheer Shah (top-order batsman)
A technically sound top-order batsman, Shah has a first-class average of 59.16 and triple hundreds. Afghanistan’s ODI and Test skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi has praised Shah and wishes him big. The 24-year-old became the second youngest player to score a triple century in first-class cricket after Javed Miandad at the age of 18 years and 251 days. Shah scored his 1,000th run in first-class cricket in his eleventh innings, second fastest behind Australian Bill Ponsford.
Riaz Hassan (Open the batsman)
Opening batsman Riaz Hassan has been touted for big things for Afghanistan. The 22-year-old has played five ODIs and, just like Baheer Shah, averages over 50 (56.31) in first-class cricket. Recently, India’s champion off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin shared his excitement about Shah and Hassan, who he believes will be crucial for Afghanistan’s future in Test cricket. Ashwin in fact compared the role played by the two young Afghan batsmen to that of former Indian cricketers Yuvraj Singh and Mohammed Kaif towards India’s cricket success in the early 2000s.
Qais Ahmed (foot bike)
Hailing from Afghanistan’s wrist-spinning nursery, leg-spinner Qais Ahmed has already built a reputation in franchise-based T20 leagues around the world. The 24-year-old has already played for Hobart Hurricanes and Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League (BBL). He has been a regular in the Caribbean Premier League, featuring for St Lucia Stars, Barbados Royals, Guyana Amazon Warriors and Jamaica Tallawahs. Apart from his forays in the shortest format, Qais has a really good record in first-class cricket. He has 70 wickets in just 13 first-class matches at an average of 21.44 and a strike rate of 37.1.
Zahir Khan (left hand wrist spin)
China’s Zahir is a rare breed as there is always an element of mystery attached to such bowlers. The 25-year-old has played in the BBL for Melbourne Stars, Melbourne Renegades and Brisbane Heat in different seasons. In fact, in 2018, he was signed to Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League; however, he was ruled out for the season due to injury. Zahir was impressive during his U-19 days with the Afghanistan team. He has played five Tests and has 11 caps, but his first-class career has been truly eye-catching. Zahir has scalped 106 runs in 22 matches at an average of 22.66 and a strike rate of 32.4.
Naveed Zadran (fast bowler)
All but 19, Naveed Zadran was originally included in Afghanistan’s Test squad against New Zealand, but a side strain later ruled him out. The Afghanistan team management rested him in the hope that he will recover ahead of South Africa’s ODI series in the UAE. Naveed is a fast right-arm bowler who can swing the ball in both directions. He has already played two Tests and picked up nine wickets at an average of 22.5 and a strike rate of 35.5. At first-class level, he has 46 wickets in 10 matches (avg: 24.50, strike rate: 36.8). Standing just over 6 feet tall, Naveed was the tallest batsman on the spin-friendly Afghanistan wickets in the 2023 first-class season.
In the last two years, Afghanistan have taken the cricketing world by storm. Afghanistan’s Atalans, as the team is called, advanced to the semi-finals of the 2024 T20 World Cup. A year ago, in the 2023 ODI World Cup, they beat defending champions England and former World Cup winners Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Afghanistan would have made it to the semi-finals if not for Glenn Maxwell’s once-in-a-lifetime double ton against them at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
Over the years, Afghanistan’s victories have been mainly based on the spinners like Rashid Khan, Mujeeb-Ur-Rahman and Noor Ahmed. Strikers Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Hashmatullah Shahidi and Najibullah Zadran have also played their part. Of late, two fast bowlers – Fazalhaq Farooqui and Naveen-ul-Haq – have also turned the tide in Afghanistan’s favour. Not to be forgotten is veteran and Afghanistan cricket legend Mohammad Nabi, who has seen it all – from the days of demoralizing defeats to the modern era of favorable results.
Their successes have inspired a new generation of Afghan cricketers who are ready to take up the mantle and bring more glory to Afghanistan.
Here are some promising ones who will take Afghanistan cricket forward…
Baheer Shah (top-order batsman)
A technically sound top-order batsman, Shah has a first-class average of 59.16 and triple hundreds. Afghanistan’s ODI and Test skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi has praised Shah and wishes him big. The 24-year-old became the second youngest player to score a triple century in first-class cricket after Javed Miandad at the age of 18 years and 251 days. Shah scored his 1,000th run in first-class cricket in his eleventh innings, second fastest behind Australian Bill Ponsford.
Riaz Hassan (Open the batsman)
Opening batsman Riaz Hassan has been touted for big things for Afghanistan. The 22-year-old has played five ODIs and, just like Baheer Shah, averages over 50 (56.31) in first-class cricket. Recently, India’s champion off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin shared his excitement about Shah and Hassan, who he believes will be crucial for Afghanistan’s future in Test cricket. Ashwin in fact compared the role played by the two young Afghan batsmen to that of former Indian cricketers Yuvraj Singh and Mohammed Kaif towards India’s cricket success in the early 2000s.
Qais Ahmed (foot bike)
Hailing from Afghanistan’s wrist-spinning nursery, leg-spinner Qais Ahmed has already built a reputation in franchise-based T20 leagues around the world. The 24-year-old has already played for Hobart Hurricanes and Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League (BBL). He has been a regular in the Caribbean Premier League, featuring for St Lucia Stars, Barbados Royals, Guyana Amazon Warriors and Jamaica Tallawahs. Apart from his forays in the shortest format, Qais has a really good record in first-class cricket. He has 70 wickets in just 13 first-class matches at an average of 21.44 and a strike rate of 37.1.
Zahir Khan (left hand wrist spin)
China’s Zahir is a rare breed as there is always an element of mystery attached to such bowlers. The 25-year-old has played in the BBL for Melbourne Stars, Melbourne Renegades and Brisbane Heat in different seasons. In fact, in 2018, he was signed to Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League; however, he was ruled out for the season due to injury. Zahir was impressive during his U-19 days with the Afghanistan team. He has played five Tests and has 11 caps, but his first-class career has been truly eye-catching. Zahir has scalped 106 runs in 22 matches at an average of 22.66 and a strike rate of 32.4.
Naveed Zadran (fast bowler)
All but 19, Naveed Zadran was originally included in Afghanistan’s Test squad against New Zealand, but a side strain later ruled him out. The Afghanistan team management rested him in the hope that he will recover ahead of South Africa’s ODI series in the UAE. Naveed is a fast right-arm bowler who can swing the ball in both directions. He has already played two Tests and picked up nine wickets at an average of 22.5 and a strike rate of 35.5. At first-class level, he has 46 wickets in 10 matches (avg: 24.50, strike rate: 36.8). Standing just over 6 feet tall, Naveed was the tallest batsman on the spin-friendly Afghanistan wickets in the 2023 first-class season.
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