Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan says there are no specific targets for his side as they head into a T20I tri-series in Sharjah this week, insisting the focus remains on their brand of cricket and giving 100 percent on the field.
Afghanistan meet Pakistan in the opening match, with the United Arab Emirates completing the three-team lineup. The event serves as a warm-up for next month’s Asia Cup, also staged in the UAE.
Rashid’s team have shown form on the big stage recently, making the semi-finals of last year’s T20 World Cup in the United States and the Caribbean, and finishing just short of the knockout rounds at this year’s ODI Champions Trophy in Pakistan. They also produced notable results during the 2023 ODI World Cup, including statement wins over England, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
“We do not have specific targets, and we do not want to put extra pressure on our players,” Rashid said on Thursday when asked whether Afghanistan are chasing the Asia Cup title. “Our target is to play the brand of cricket we have played over the years. For us the main target is to put in 200 percent effort on the ground. I think we have been doing well in the ICC events, and although we haven’t played T20I cricket in recent months, the guys have been playing in T20 leagues around the world, which has helped.”
Afghanistan claimed a 2-1 T20I series win over Pakistan at the same venue in 2023. The 16-man squad for the tri-series includes rising mystery spinner AM Ghazanfar along with spin specialists Noor Ahmad, Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Rashid himself. The trophy for the tri-series was unveiled on Thursday.
The Asia Cup gets underway on September 9, as teams build towards the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
Pakistan, by contrast, are navigating a rough patch. They exited the last T20 World Cup at the group stage and failed to win a match at the Champions Trophy this year. They also endured a 2-1 T20 series defeat in Bangladesh but then beat the West Indies by the same margin. Under new captain Salman Agha, Pakistan are in a rebuilding phase with former skippers Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan out of the T20 squad.
“We are trying to build a team, and this tri-series and then the Asia Cup will be a good opportunity to achieve that,” Agha said. “We know both these events will be challenging, but we are ready.”
All three teams in the tri-series will play each other twice, with the top two advancing to a final on September 7. Beyond these fixtures, the Asia Cup will include defending champions India, along with Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Oman and Hong Kong. The event will offer a clear barometer of form for the broader field ahead of next year’s global events.
Additional notes and context:
– The tri-series exposes emerging talents like Ghazanfar to high-level competition, providing selectors with a clearer read on squad depth ahead of Asia Cup.
– Rashid’s emphasis on maintaining pressure-free preparation and consistency aligns with Afghanistan’s recent emphasis on cultivating a strong team ethic and adaptable bowling options, particularly in the spin department.
– The broader schedule underscores a busy UAE cricket calendar, with the Asia Cup acting as a pivotal stepping stone toward 2026 and beyond.