Lahore, Feb 25 Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi said the Champions Trophy game against England is a tough challenge for them but expressed confidence in their abilities to beat the opponent to stay in the hunt for the semi-final race.
Afghanistan had a dismal start to the tournament as they lost to South Africa by 107 runs in their opening match. Another loss against England will force them to make an early exit from the eight-team tournament.
Meanwhile, England also lost their opening fixture against Australia despite posting a total of 351.
Afghanistan famously defeated England in the 2023 Cricket World Cup, pulling off a major upset. Shahidi acknowledged that while they will draw confidence from that victory, the upcoming encounter is a fresh start, and they will give their all to replicate the result.
“In 2023 we had a good game against England and we beat them. We have that confidence with us but that's part of the history. And now we have to go to ground with a new mindset and with new planning. I think we all know that England is one of the best teams. It's a tough challenge for us but we are ready for any kind of challenge," Shahidi told reporters on the eve of the match.
Afghanistan captain acknowledged the confidence boost that comes from receiving praise from cricket legends and experts but emphasised that recognition alone does not guarantee success.
"It feels good when legends and experts speak positively about you and your team. It gives confidence, but just because they say we will do well doesn't mean it will happen automatically. If they predict we will qualify for the semi-finals, we still have to work hard on the ground to achieve that," he said.
Shahidi highlighted the tough competition in the Champions Trophy, where Afghanistan faces the world’s top eight-ranked teams.
"As I said, there are quality teams in the Champion Trophy, the world's top eight-ranked teams. So it's a tough challenge to face each other. These things give us confidence but at the same time, we have to work hard on the ground and have to play our best cricket on the day if we want to beat these teams," he added.
When asked whether Afghanistan would benefit from batting first and then using their strong bowling attack to defend totals, Shahidi agreed that setting a target often gives them a better chance.
“I think when we bat first, that gives us more chance," Shahidi acknowledged. "But at the same time, we beat teams in the last World Cup batting second too. And after that in the (bilateral) series also."
Reflecting on Afghanistan's performance against South Africa, Shahidi pointed out the lack of assistance for spinners, which made it difficult for their bowling attack to contain the opposition.
“In the South Africa game, I think the wicket was a little bit supportive for the fast bowling," Shahidi said.
He also admitted that Afghanistan’s batting lacked momentum early in the innings.
"And when our spinners were bowling, there was no support for them. I didn't even see one ball turning. So we didn't play well, especially in batting. We didn't start well in the first 20 overs," he said.
"At the same time, it's not an excuse, but the world knows that we have good spinners.”
Afghanistan and England will lock horns at the National Stadium in Lahore on Wednesday.
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