Afghanistan National Cricket Team captain Rashid Khan has sent a strong and fearless warning to all the teams, including India, ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, starting on February 7.
Rashid Khan declares Afghanistan ready to shock T20 World Cup 2026
Rashid Khan has made it clear that Afghanistan is not entering the tournament feeling lesser or intimidated by big names, conditions, or hype. He has shown Afghanistan’s fearless mindset by saying any team they face in the T20 World Cup 2026 Final would be an upset.
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The star spinner believes that there is no special advantage for any team playing in India, including his own side, at the T20 World Cup 2026, saying success in the tournament will depend only on how a team performs on the match day.
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The Afghan superstar pointed out that almost every team in the showpiece event has players who regularly feature in the IPL and are familiar with Indian pitches and conditions.
Rashid Khan said at the ICC T20 World Cup Captain’s Press Conference, “All the teams, they have been playing IPL here in India. So, no extra advantage for Afghanistan. It’s all about the day and how you play your best cricket.”
Rashid Khan rejects 300-run hype
Meanwhile, teams are already talking about massive scores at the mega event, but the Afghanistan skipper has taken a very different and bold stance. England captain Harry Brook has openly spoken about the possibility of teams scoring 300 runs in India and said his side wants to attack bowlers as much as possible.
On the other hand, West Indies captain Shai Hope has also shared an aggressive batting mindset, saying batters should aim to score as many runs as they can without mentioning any target. However, Rashid has completely rejected this fear-driven thinking.
The star spinner believes that bowlers should never accept the idea that conceding 200 or more runs is normal, as panic is the biggest enemy of bowlers in modern T20 cricket.
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Rashid sends a strong message to power hitters
The Afghanistan captain has stressed that if a bowler stays calm, sticks to good lines and lengths, and follows a clear plan, even the most aggressive batters cannot keep hitting sixes at will.
Rashid noted, “As a bowler, you can’t really think about it. I’ll never accept that the opposition will have 200 on board. If the opposition is having that mindset, you need to stay calm and plan. If you are bowling in good areas, there is no way the batter is going to hit 4-5 sixes to you.”
Notably, Afghanistan is placed in Group D alongside South Africa, New Zealand, Canada, and the UAE, and they will kick off their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign on February 8 in Chennai.
