Afghanistan’s skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi has set his sights on another big scalp in the form of Australia, following his team’s thrilling eight-run victory over England in the Champions Trophy. The win in Lahore on Wednesday saw the debutants send England crashing out of the tournament, giving Afghanistan a shot at reaching the semi-finals.
Shahidi expressed confidence after the victory, acknowledging how such wins can boost a team’s morale. “Obviously a win like this boosts every team’s confidence and strengthens them. Our morale has increased even more,” he said.
Afghanistan’s upcoming match against Australia at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Friday is critical, as both teams are vying for a spot in the semi-finals. “Australia is a tough and good team. I have said this in previous conferences as well – that we came here to play good cricket. We will try to play a positive game. Just like we defeated England today, we hope to beat Australia as well,” Shahidi remarked.
Despite the looming pressure, the Afghanistan captain downplayed the significance of semi-final qualification, emphasizing that his team will not be weighed down by the thought of it. “We won’t put that pressure on ourselves by thinking too much about the semi-final qualification.”
Even in the event of a washout, Afghanistan will remain in contention for the semi-finals, though they will need other results to go in their favor or rely on net run-rate.
Zadran Shines in Afghanistan’s Stunning Win
Afghanistan’s victory was largely built on the shoulders of Ibrahim Zadran, who played a magnificent knock of 177, the highest individual score in Champions Trophy history. Zadran’s innings came when Afghanistan was in deep trouble at 37-3, leading the team to a total of 325-7. England fell short in their chase, being all out for 317, handing Afghanistan their first win of the tournament after a heavy loss to South Africa.
Shahidi praised the young batsman for his remarkable performance, especially considering his return after a long injury layoff. “Even though he was away from cricket for six months, it’s never easy for a player to return from injury and make such a strong comeback in a high-stakes match,” said the captain. “I am extremely happy for him because he is a very talented and hard-working player.”
Afghanistan will look to build on this momentum as they prepare to face Australia, hoping for another upset in their pursuit of a semi-final spot.
