Afghanistan had a dream run in the 2023 ODI World Cup as they beat the former champions – England, Pakistan and Sri Lanka to make a big statement that they are all ready to compete for the big trophies. The Afghans displayed some solid character as they didn’t rely solely on the star power of Rashid Khan. Young players like Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Noor Ahmad, Azmatullah Omarzai and Ikram Alikhil flourished under pressure while senior pros Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi and Rashid provided stability. However, they missed a glorious chance to reach the semis after a heartbreaking loss to Australia. Hashmatullah Shahidi and Co. will remember this campaign for a long time but they have to sort out the mistakes they commit here for the next big ICC events.
Follow all the action from the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 including the World Cup schedule, World Cup 2023 results, and ICC Cricket World Cup points table. Players are vying to top the World Cup 2023 Most Runs and World Cup 2023 Most Wickets charts.
World Cup 2023: Played: 9; Won: 4; Lost: 5; Standing: 6th
High point of the Tournament
Beating Pakistan was the high point of Afghanistan in the tournament as the players also called it a memorable win for them. The two teams played several close matches in recent times where the Afghans failed to cross the line but this time the batters took the onus on themselves. They chased down the 283-run target quite comfortably and won the match by 8 wickets.
Low point of the Tournament
Afghanistan were so close to reaching the semis but Glenn Maxwell shattered their dreams with arguably the greatest ODI innings ever. Defending a 292-run target, the Afghanistan bowlers brought the five-time champions on their knees by picking seven wickets for just 91. However, Maxwell produced a ‘Big Show’ with a 201-run* knock that snatched the win from Afghanistan’s jaws.
Captaincy verdict
Hashmatullah Shahidi turned out to be an inspirational leader for Afghanistan as he played some solid knocks with the bat and made the right bowling changes during the crucial junctures of the game. The southpaw scored three half-centuries and provided the stability in the middle order. He was involved in the game with smart field placements and bowling changes.
Most valuable player
Ibrahim Zadran – Before the start of World Cup, everyone considered Afghanistan a solid bowling side but the batters like Zadran made them look like a complete team during the tournament. The right-handed batter scored 376 runs in 9 matches and also became the first Afghanistan batter to score a World Cup century.
Major disappointment
Mohammad Nabi – The veteran all-rounder entered the tournament with a big reputation but failed to impress. He scored just 55 runs in 6 innings and managed to claim 8 wickets after bowling 61.3 overs.
Tournament verdict
After losing their first match to Bangladesh, many thought it to be another disappointing campaign for the Afghans but they changed people’s perception by playing some quality cricket. Beating the likes of Pakistan, England and Sri Lanka were a big achievement for the Asian side but missing out on a semi-final spot will hurt them for a long time.
Statistics
Most runs: Ibrahim Zadran – 376 Runs
Most wickets: Rashid Khan – 11 Wickets
Highest individual score: Ibrahim Zadran – 129* vs Australia
Best Bowling Figures: Fazalhaq Farooqi 4/34 vs Sri Lanka
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