ICC World Cup 2019 | We are looking forward to doing our best against Australia, says Gulbadin Naib
Afghanistan skipper Gulbadin Naib has stated that his team has undergone massive improvement since the 2015 World Cup and that they are hoping to do well on cricket’s biggest platform. He has revealed that he was confident of doing their best and warned the opposition teams of their lethal spinners.
Afghanistan’s meteoric rise in the cricket world is a story for the ages, considering the majority of its players come from refugee camps having had to flee their homeland on account of the war-torn circumstances and dilapidated living conditions that it offered. Qualifying for the last edition was a big achievement for the nation, but the fact that they have gone from minnows to a team very much capable of pulling off an upset against any team in the world on their day is a reflection of how they have climbed the rungs of the ladder of success.
“We are very excited for the game and the start of the tournament. The team has changed from four years ago, and the last couple of years we have improved very well in every department,” Naib was reported saying.
Last time Afghanistan faced Australia, they succumbed to an embarrassing 275-run defeat, failing to chase the grand total of 418 that the Kangaroos had set for them. However, this time they will be going into the game with much more confidence, as they face the reigning champions in their World Cup opener on Sunday.
“We are just focusing on tomorrow. The World Cup is a big stage, and we are looking forward to doing our best. I have confident in my team and players, especially with how we have prepared over the last 12 months. We beat Pakistan in our first warm-up game, so anything can happen. We know that Australia is a champion team, but we will giving 100 percent,” Naib quoted.
Afghanistan is not short of talent though and have some real world beaters in their squad. While Rashid Khan is the fastest ever to have taken a 100 ODI wickets, the other spinners Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Mohammad Nabi also sit high in the ODI rankings and can topple world class batting lineups if the conditions work in their favour.
“We have a great spin department in our bowling attack, but it will depend on the wicket tomorrow,” Naib remarked.