Rashid Khan Calls for More Bilateral Series

Afghanistan's captain, Rashid Khan, has advocated for increased bilateral series against stronger cricket-playing nations following the team's performance in the T20 World Cup. Khan noted that while the team played exhilarating cricket, particularly in their final group match win against Canada, more consistent exposure to top-tier opponents is crucial for development.

He identified specific areas needing improvement, including the middle-order batting and performance during death overs in bowling. Khan believes that playing more frequently against major teams in bilateral series will significantly help address these aspects. The team is taking positive lessons from the tournament, despite the painful setback of a close loss to South Africa.

As head coach Jonathan Trott prepares to depart, Khan described the moment as emotional, acknowledging Trott's significant role in the team's progress. Ibrahim Zadran expressed satisfaction with his unbeaten 95 against Canada, a substantial score after previous lower outings, emphasizing his enjoyment of pressure situations and positive intent.

Afghanistan concluded their T20 World Cup campaign with a victory over Canada by 82 runs. Rashid Khan returned excellent figures of 2 wickets for 19 runs in the match. The team is focused on building on the positives from the tournament and moving forward.