Ravichandran Ashwin, the Indian off-spinner, has praised Afghanistan’s remarkable performances in the ongoing T20 World Cup, particularly their courageous displays in the semifinals against South Africa. Ashwin highlighted the Asian team’s remarkable growth as a cricket nation, reaching the final four of an ICC tournament for the first time. Afghanistan’s journey in the tournament has been nothing short of impressive, having defeated formidable teams like New Zealand, Australia, Pakistan, England, and Sri Lanka.
Ashwin praised the team’s grit and resilience, quoting Rashid Khan, their Afghan leg-spinner, who expressed gratitude to his teammates on social media. Rashid was visibly disappointed with the loss, but he acknowledged the team’s hard-fought efforts. Afghanistan’s campaign at the T20 World Cup has been marked by several impressive victories, including a 125-run win over Uganda, an 84-run win over New Zealand, a 7-wicket win over Papua New Guinea, and a 21-run win over Australia. They also secured an 8-run win over Bangladesh via the DLS method.
Ravichandran Ashwin (Via Ravichandran Ashwin/Twitter)
Despite their impressive performances, Afghanistan ultimately fell short against South Africa, who chased down their target of 59 runs in just 8.5 overs. The semifinal match was marked by controversy, with Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott and South Africa captain Aiden Markram criticizing the Trinidad pitch for being unsuitable for a World Cup semifinal. Trott expressed disappointment over the pitch, stating that it was not conducive to a fair contest. Markram too shared similar sentiments, saying that the wicket was challenging, but acknowledging that it’s difficult to solely blame the pitch for the outcome.
Ashwin’s praise for Afghanistan’s performances has been well-received, highlighting the team’s remarkable growth and resilience. As they continue to build on their strengths, Afghanistan can be expected to cause more upsets in the cricketing world.
