Afghanistan’s cricket team enters the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 with praise from experts predicting a potential semi-final appearance. Despite earlier defeats, captain Hashmatullah Shahidi emphasizes the team’s need to focus on hard work and strategy as they prepare to face England. Acknowledging the challenges posed by top-ranked teams, Shahidi seeks to instill confidence while emphasizing the importance of adapting to conditions and learning from past performances.
Afghanistan has garnered significant praise ahead of the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025, with many cricket experts predicting they could reach the semi-finals. However, the team is putting efforts into blocking distractions as they prepare for their crucial match against England, especially after a setback against South Africa.
“It’s encouraging when legends and experts commend your performance, as it builds confidence. Yet, we understand that these compliments do not guarantee success. Qualification for the semi-finals requires diligent effort on the field,” remarked captain Hashmatullah Shahidi, acknowledging the intensity of competition in the Champions Trophy.
Captain Shahidi highlighted the formidable challenge posed by the world’s top-ranked cricket teams within the tournament. Despite receiving confidence from past praises, he emphasized the necessity of hard work and performing at their best to secure victories against high-caliber opponents.
Following a disappointing debut in the Champions Trophy where they lost by 107 runs to South Africa, Shahidi examined whether batting first could be more advantageous for his team. “We tend to perform better when we bat first, but we’ve also achieved success chasing in previous matches.” His analysis pointed to issues with supporting conditions for their spinners during the South African match, affecting their bowling performance.
Reflecting on Afghanistan’s previous win against England in the 2023 Cricket World Cup, Shahidi recognized the importance of that victory to their confidence. Nevertheless, he stressed the need to approach the upcoming game with a fresh mindset and strategic planning, acknowledging England’s stature as a top team and the tough challenge that lies ahead for his squad.
In preparation for their match against England, Afghanistan acknowledges the challenges posed by top-tier teams in the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy. While past successes and expert endorsements provide a morale boost, the team remains focused on hard work and strategic gameplay. Captain Shahidi emphasizes the importance of adaptability and a positive mindset as they look to improve from their losses and tackle the competition heads-on.
Original Source: www.icc-cricket.com
