Afghan squad upbeat ahead of World Cup

Afghan squad upbeat ahead of World Cup

KABUL: Afghanistan’s cricket team are upbeat about their chances at next month’s World Cup, skipper Gulbadin Naib said Monday, after the squad spent several weeks training in South Africa.

Naib said conditions in South Africa, with bouncy wickets and good pitches, were similar to what they expect in Britain. “When I look at my team, we prepared very well the last couple of months,” Naib told AFP at the British embassy in Kabul, ahead of the team’s departure for the Cup.

“The guys have a big morale, everyone is very excited to be participating in the World Cup.” Naib earlier this month was named as captain, replacing Asghar Afghan who has still been included in the squad.

The move sparked some controversy coming so close to the World Cup, but the 28-year-old Naib dismissed the row as overblown, saying it was “no big deal” and that the team had several other players with captaincy experience.

British deputy ambassador Giles Lever said the World Cup provided Afghanistan with an opportunity to show an expected global audience of up to 1.5 billion a side of the war-torn country that is often overlooked. “Not war, not political divisions but Afghans working together on the world stage to achieve your common dream, which is victory in the World Cup,” Lever said.

Article source: https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/464806-afghan-squad-upbeat-ahead-of-world-cup