Afghanistan quick bowler Naveen-ul-Haq lately took a dig on the Australian workforce on social media, recollecting the episode of their refusal to play a collection towards the Afghans following the Taliban’s imposition of restrictions on girls’s and women’ training and employment.
Nonetheless, on the eve of its essential World Cup fixture towards Australia, Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi downplayed such talks and stated, “I feel proper now, we’ve a recreation tomorrow within the World Cup. If we deal with that, as an alternative of these items, will probably be higher…”
Of their earlier three ODI outings towards Australia – together with two in World Cups – Afghanistan misplaced every time. However not the one to dwell on the previous, Shahidi believes that the motto of his workforce can be to method the sport with a optimistic mindset.
“That perception is there. I inform the workforce additionally that in each recreation we go to the bottom, we’ve to be optimistic, and our mindset needs to be to win. It doesn’t matter if the opposition workforce is Australia, England, India, or Netherlands,” Shahidi stated.
Earlier than this World Cup, the Afghans had just one victory in two 50-over ICC tournaments. This time, the workforce has been an enormous killer – defeating Pakistan and England. “We didn’t have a great previous in World Cup historical past. We solely received one recreation. However coming to this World Cup, we imagine that we are able to do higher,” Shahidi stated.
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“The hole which we had earlier than, I feel now, I really feel we’re equal to the groups, that are within the high stage. And we is likely to be nonetheless studying, however talent-wise, we’re a great workforce. I imagine that…”
Whereas he hoped for spin to have a task in Tuesday’s recreation, Shahidi additionally credited the workforce’s mentor Ajay Jadeja for his enter.
“He is aware of about situations right here in India as he has performed in all of the stadiums and all of the cities. So, that additionally helps us. For me, the necessary factor is, he’s a really optimistic individual, so every time the workforce is doing good, he’s nonetheless there to help the workforce. When it’s a tough scenario, stress time and the workforce is just not doing nicely, he would be the first one to help the workforce,” Shahidi stated concerning the former India worldwide.