In order to improve their performance, Hashmatullah Shahidi has stated that he wants Afghanistan to play more Test matches and acquire a designated home ground in India. In what will be the two teams’ first-ever Test match, the Blue Tigers are ready to take on New Zealand. The Greater Noida Sports Complex Ground will host this eagerly awaited match beginning on Monday, September 9.
The player who will captain Afghanistan in the historic match, Shahidi, said that his team’s ability to improve and the ability to compete fiercely against their rivals will be greatly enhanced by additional Test matches and a dedicated home venue in India. The squad has been forced to play its home games at different locations in India, such as Greater Noida, Lucknow, and Dehradun, as well as in the UAE, due to security concerns in Afghanistan.
India Today cited Shahidi as stating, “Hopefully, the BCCI [Board of Control for Cricket in India] and the ACB [Afghanistan Cricket Board] will get us a good venue.”
“We are from India, and we have hosted more international cricket teams here. In India, hopefully, we’ll find a suitable location, and if we stick to that one, it will work out well for us.
Afghanistan has only participated in nine Test matches since obtaining Test status in 2017, the majority of which have been one-off events. Nine games is not enough in six years, said Shahidi, lamenting the lack of red-ball possibilities. It’s a new format for us. We require additional experience. We will greatly improve if we consistently have more opportunities.”
In order to improve the team’s performance in the longest format of the game, the Afghan captain also discussed the significance of playing longer Test series.
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“It will benefit us as a team if we can string together three or four game series. Playing red-ball cricket in the nets is not an easy way to start. You can only improve your ball-judging skills by participating in matches, the southpaw stated.
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