Speaking about the T20 World Cup that would be held in India next year, batting all-rounder Gulbadin Naib referred to the country as Afghanistan’s “second home.” Afghanistan and Gulbadin will be among the favourites going into the 20-team competition, which will take place at eight locations in India and Sri Lanka between February 7 and March 8.
Naib emphasised the various locations where Afghan cricket has been played internationally in India over the years. He also said how many Afghan players have played in the Indian Premier League.
Fortunately, we have a significant advantage because our players compete in leagues across the globe. Additionally, it seems like home—our second home—with the T20 World Cup taking place in India. According to India Today, Naib said, “We’ve played a lot of cricket there: in Dehradun, in Lucknow, and of course, many of our players have plenty of IPL experience.”
Naib is still certain that his compatriots won’t find it difficult to adjust to the current circumstances in India. In addition, he said that both the players and the club management had high hopes for the unit prior to the world-famous competition since they wanted to go far this time.
“One or two Afghan players frequently play for almost every team. For us, the situation in India won’t be too difficult. We’re excited to play some excellent cricket there. We do have a lot of expectations. Once more, though, it’s all about the game.
It may make a big difference if we can push ourselves even 10% harder than we did in the previous World Cup,” Naib continued.
Afghanistan, South Africa, New Zealand, the United Arab Emirates, and Canada have all been assigned to Group D. They will play at Ahmedabad against South Africa on February 11, Chennai against New Zealand on February 8, and Delhi against the United Arab Emirates on February 16. On February 19, they will travel back to Chennai to play Canada in their last league stage match. They will qualify for the Super 8s if they place in the top two.
Regarding Afghanistan’s campaign in the 2024 edition, they had a great time, winning matches against Bangladesh, Australia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, and Uganda. Their outstanding performance in the league games and the Super 8s helped them get to the semi-finals, but they were defeated by the Proteas in the penultimate match.
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