Afghanistan Prioritises World Cup Prep Over Bilateral Series

Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan has underlined that the team’s primary focus is excelling in ICC tournaments rather than just securing wins in bilateral series.

Speaking at a pre-match press conference ahead of the opening T20I against Bangladesh in Sharjah on Thursday, Rashid said:

“For us, every game is competitive. We are not here just to have fun and go back. Our target is to build a perfect and balanced side for the next World Cup. That has been the mindset since the last World Cup.”

Afghanistan’s T20I exposure in recent months has been limited. After playing a three-match series against Zimbabwe in December 2024, they returned to action eight months later in a tri-series with Pakistan and the UAE in Sharjah ahead of the Asia Cup.

Reflecting on this gap, Rashid remarked, “We haven’t played much T20 cricket as a team. Before the tri-series, the last time we played was in the World Cup, around seven or eight months ago. Regrouping as a team and improving for the future takes time.”

The Afghan skipper emphasized that preparing for the T20 World Cup is the team’s real priority, suggesting that bilateral results are secondary.

“From now on, losing doesn’t matter much if it helps us become a stronger side for the World Cup. Winning a bilateral series but failing in the World Cup would be far more disappointing. But if we lose now and improve enough to win at the World Cup, that’s a huge success,” he said.

Drawing on past experiences, Rashid pointed out:

“Before the 2024 World Cup, we lost several games, yet we went on to reach the semifinals – a massive achievement for us. Similarly, ahead of the 2023 World Cup, we lost three straight games to Pakistan in a bilateral series, then the first two games to India and Bangladesh. But afterward, we beat top teams like England, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. That shows the importance of learning from setbacks. For us, it’s both a challenge and a target.”