Photo Caption: Rashid Khan speaks to the media in Dubai ahead of Afghanistan’s T20I series, stressing preparation over short-term results.
By Sayer Zaland
Dubai: Ahead of Afghanistan’s upcoming T20I series beginning today, captain Rashid Khan addressed the media with a clear message: results in the short term matter less than long-term preparation for next year’s ICC T20 World Cup.
Reflecting on the Asia Cup disappointment, Rashid stressed that his side had learned valuable lessons. “We play always to win, but sometimes you learn more in defeat,” he said. “The Asia Cup was part of our preparation, and this series is another step. The main focus is to become the perfect side for the World Cup.”
Rashid acknowledged that Afghanistan’s struggles at the top of the order made it difficult to recover in crucial matches. “In T20 cricket, you need a strong start. If the top order performs well, it makes things easier for the lower order. That is where we struggled a bit,” he admitted.
On the other hand, he praised his bowling unit’s consistency while identifying “death overs” as an area that still needs sharpening. “We’re good as a bowling unit, but we can be much better in death bowling. Every day is about improving.”
Rashid repeatedly emphasized mindset and resilience as key ingredients in Afghanistan’s progress. “Sometimes it goes your way, sometimes not. That’s part of the game. But the mindset must always be positive. We must always have the hunger to play better,” he said.
He rejected suggestions from the media labeling Afghanistan as “Asia’s second best team,” insisting that such titles are given by others based on results. “We never called ourselves that. People talk, but we focus only on how we play on the day. It’s not about the past, it’s about what we do in the next game,” Rashid clarified.
The Afghan skipper reminded journalists that strong comebacks have often followed setbacks. “Before the 2024 World Cup, we lost so many games, but we reached the semi finals. In 2023, we lost a bilateral series and then beat top sides like England, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. There’s always something to learn,” he noted.
Asked about the younger generation, Rashid urged them to focus on effort over results: “Don’t worry about numbers. Whether you score zero or a hundred, what matters is giving 100 percent for the team.”
As Afghanistan begins its T20I series, against Bangladesh, Rashid was clear about the bigger picture: “Winning this series is good, but if it doesn’t make us stronger for the World Cup, it means little. If we lose now but learn and win there, that is success.”
