Sri Lanka’s males have one participant with greater than 100 Checks to his title, one other with 88, a 3rd with 76, and one other with 51. All Afghanistan have ever performed are seven Checks, and are prone to area debutants on Friday. It does not sound like a lot of a contest, but when there’s one crew that may spring surprises seemingly out of nowhere, Afghanistan may be it.
“If it involves expertise, their crew is extra skilled than ours,” captain Hashmatullah Shahidi stated on the eve of his crew’s first-ever Test in opposition to Sri Lanka. “They’ve rather a lot of guys who’ve performed Test cricket for greater than ten years. I’ll nonetheless not say we’re not ok. We’re courageous, and we’re ready for all types of problem.”
Not simply courageous, however within the current previous, on roughly equal footing with Sri Lanka, in ODIs not less than. Afghanistan received two of the 5 accomplished ODIs these groups have performed in Sri Lanka since 2022. After which, within the World Cup got here the kicker – a seven-wicket thrashing in Pune, which helped push Sri Lanka out of rivalry for the Champions Trophy in 2025, a event Afghanistan have certified for.
“In fact, we will win in opposition to Sri Lanka,” Shahidi stated. “I am not going to sit down right here and assume negatively about my crew. As a nation, we’re sturdy folks, and as a cricket nation, we confirmed everybody not too long ago on the World Cup what we may do. In Checks additionally, now we have good, gifted guys. Everybody within the dressing room needs to be eager about easy methods to win in Sri Lanka. We’re not simply right here to play.”
“Rashid is one of the best bowler and we are going to miss him till he involves the crew. However now we have extra spinners within the crew. Now we have three extra guys who’re within the 15. Now we have Zia-ur-Rehman, Zahir Khan, and Qais Ahmad. They’re additionally good for the long run of Afghanistan. They’re laborious employees. I hope these three who will get an opportunity tomorrow will do nicely for us.”
At this stage of their Test journey, Afghanistan even have a lopsidedness to their assault. The place spinners have taken 78 of their wickets at a mean of 30.21, seamers have claimed solely 24, at a mean of 37.04. That is the place, for Shahidi, the best enhancements might be made.
“If we play [and get] extra alternatives we are going to know extra concerning the recreation. Within the final recreation we had been fighting the fast-bowling division. If we need to be a superb Test nation we have to have quick bowlers. This tour now we have guys who can bowl fast. We introduced them right here with us and hopefully, they play nicely on this recreation. We try our greatest to enhance on that. It is a good alternative.”
