ICC T20 World Cup 2021: Strengths & Weaknesses of Afghanistan team

The Afghanistan national cricket team is all set to kickstart its ICC T20 World Cup 2021 campaign on October 25 at Sharjah Cricket Stadium in the UAE. The Mohammad Nabi-led side will play their first game against the team that finishes first in Group B of the preliminary stage of the marquee ICC event. Afghanistan is amongst the heavyweights who have already qualified for the main event and are waiting for others to join them in the Super 12 stage. Over the years, Afghanistan has become one of the most formidable sides in the shortest format of the game. Let's take a look at the strengths and weaknesses of the country's T20 World Cup squad. 

Strengths

Afghanistan boasts one of the best bowling attacks in the entire T20 World Cup roster, having the top-ranked bowler in the form of Rashid Khan. The leggie is amongst the greatest T20I wicket-takers in the world, currently placed in the fourth position. Rashid enjoys an impressive economy of 6.21 and a bowling average of 12.63.

Mohammad Nabi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman can also prove to be lethal on the spinning UAE tracks, which makes the Afghanistan side one of the best bowling lineups in the World Cup.  

Weakness

The greatest weakness that Afghanistan have in its World Cup squad is the lack of proper world-class batters. Apart from Hazratullah Zazai, who is currently ranked 12th in the world, Afghanistan doesn't have too many power hitters and stroke makers in the batting lineup. Afghanistan's batting could be its greatest weakness going into the World Cup. 

Afghanistan's sloppy fielding can also prove to be one of its weaknesses in the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 as matches can sometimes produce results that are based on outstanding plays in the fielding department. 

Even though Afghanistan have made it to the Super 12 stage with ease, courtesy of their superior T20I rankings, the side has yet to beat any of their opponents in Group 2. Afghanistan have lost twice to India and once to Pakistan, while they have not played a single T20I game against New Zealand. 

Afghanistan's T20 World Cup Squad: Mohammad Nabi (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Hazratullah Zazai, Usman Ghani, Mohammad Shahzad, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Asghar Afghan, Gulbadin Naib, Najibullah Zadran, Karim Janat, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Hamid Hassan, Farid Ahmed Malik, Naveen ul Haq. Reserves: Sharafuddin Ashraf, Samiullah Shinwari, Dawlat Zadran, Fazal Haq Farooqi.

Image: T20WorldCup/Twitter