Sri Lanka cruised past Afghanistan in the one-off Test match at SSC winning by ten wickets with a day to spare. Barring a few highlights, the Afghans were no match to Sri Lanka in Colombo, but the ODIs that begin on Friday will be a different kettle of fish.
It is T-20 cricket that the Afghans have become a strong force in due to the game’s unpredictable nature, but in ODI cricket, they are carving out a name for themselves as evidenced by the last World Cup.
During the sport’s showpiece event, Afghanistan beat three former champions – Sri Lanka, Pakistan and England. They nearly made it to the semi-finals too and if not for that Glenn Maxwell drop catch in Bombay, it would have been match over Australia.
The likes of opening batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz, all-rounder Mohammad Nabi, former captain Gulbadin Naib, left-arm quick Fazalhaq Farooqi and left-arm wrist spinner Noor Ahmad will make them feel comfortable ahead of the three match series.
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These Afghans have been in the international circuit for a while no doubt but what makes them a formidable outfit is that they are globetrotting playing league cricket all around the year.
They are playing with and against some of the finest players in the world and they are being exposed to all sorts of conditions when they are engaged in league cricket. This has given them more experience and exposure and they are reaping the benefits of it at the big stage.
Sri Lanka are ranked seventh in ICC Rankings while Afghanistan are ranked ninth. To maintain the status quo, Sri Lanka badly needs to finish the series on a high note or at least win it if a 3-0 whitewash is not possible.
True, the Afghans aren’t without their key bowler Rashid Khan, but they have quite a formidable spin attack that will pose many challenges to Sri Lanka. Their fast bowling is on the rise too. While Fazalhaq Farooqi has had his moments here in Sri Lanka before, this 18-year-old Naveen Zadran, who made his Test debut at SSC, looks quite a fabulous prospect. He bowled so well in the Test match to claim four wickets in the first innings. He is quick, has a very good bouncer and has a few tricks up his sleeve.
The player to watch in the Afghan camp is Ibrahim Zadran. Someone who is equipped with all the shots it is quite impressive the manner in which he goes about things adjusting his game according to the match situation. He can accelerate if he wants or play the anchor role if the situation demands and players of his quality are few and rare in this day and age. For a 22-year-old, the maturity he showcases is extraordinary indeed. Down the line we will hear a lot about his exploits.
In our shores, Ibrahim has played some stunning knocks and you can expect something special this tour. Rahmat Shah has been around the international circuit for over ten years now and with 106 games behind him has been a key member of the side as his five hundreds and 26 half-centuries showcases. A technically sound batsman, the Afghans bat around him and he is their Kumar Sangakkara of his side.
Former England cricketer Jonathan Trott has done well to hold the side together and under his watch, Afghanistan cricket has reached new heights.
As a nation, Afghanistan is in turmoil and there’s little cricket taking place back home. But the heights their cricket has reached should be an inspiration to any sportsperson. No matter how bad the situation is if there is a will you can move mountains.
The stakeholders of the sport have done well to not to repeat the mistakes of Kenya with Afghanistan. Blessed with players like Maurice Odumbe, Steve Tikolo, Thomas Odoya and Collins Obuya, Kenya surprised a few teams when they reached the semi-finals of the 2003 World Cup. However, after such heroics, opportunities were few and rare for the Kenyans and they just faded away into obscurity and these days hardly compete at the big stage.
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Thankfully, the mistakes of Kenya haven’t been done with Afghanistan. India recently hosted them for a bilateral series and more opportunities are coming their way.
This year they should create a bigger impact in ODI cricket and their emergence is credit to their management despite the country going through so much turmoil.
The series against Sri Lanka should be a cracking contest. The hosts are trying to rebuild after the World Cup disappointment. Their bigger focus in this format is the next World Cup in South Africa in 2027 as they will not be competing in the Champions Trophy. The event is three years away, but it provides them an opportunity to get their act together. For the 2023 World Cup, their planning was not all there. This is an opportunity for them to learn from their mistakes and move forward.
