Former South African fast bowler Dale Steyn has expressed his belief that Afghanistan’s cricket team is capable of winning a major ICC tournament within the next ten years. Steyn emphasized that to achieve this goal, Afghan players need to cultivate greater patience, both individually and as a team.
Cricket analyst Wasim Jaffer noted that while Afghanistan has shown impressive growth, including a victory over England in Lahore, they need to improve their consistency at the beginning of tournaments to advance to the knockout stages of events like the Champions Trophy 2025. He pointed out their loss to South Africa and their initial struggles against Australia as examples.
Steyn reflected on the traditional methods of player development, stating, “In the past, many players would participate in county cricket or first-class cricket to refine their skills and, crucially, enhance their patience. In today’s fast-paced environment, patience seems to be lacking. It’s almost as if Afghanistan’s players approach cricket with a similar impatience seen in quick-scrolling through social media feeds.”
He elaborated, “There’s often a desire for instant results – bowlers wanting wickets on every ball, lacking the patience to build pressure and set up dismissals. Similarly, batters sometimes try to force big hits from the very first over, displaying excessive movement and eagerness to accelerate the game immediately.”
Steyn acknowledged the benefits of Afghan players participating in T20 leagues worldwide, recognizing the financial rewards and learning opportunities. However, he suggested, “Perhaps dedicating time to four-day games could be beneficial. One-day cricket, in many ways, is a condensed version of Test cricket, requiring a blend of both patient and aggressive approaches. Patience is a critical element for Afghanistan to master. Once they achieve that, their potential to win ICC tournaments in the coming decade is undeniable.”
Wasim Jaffer echoed the praise for Afghanistan’s progress in international cricket, highlighting their semi-final appearance at the 2024 T20 World Cup and their victories against strong teams. He stated, “Afghanistan is definitely on the rise, and their successes are no longer considered upsets. We can confidently expect strong performances from them.”
However, Jaffer also pointed out areas for improvement, particularly their starts to tournaments and the fragility of their batting lineup. He commented on individual performances, noting Ibrahim Zadran’s century against England and Sediqullah Atal’s innings against Australia, but also highlighted the inconsistency of the top order and the poor form of Rahmanullah Gurbaz in the recent tournament.
Jaffer concluded, “They were likely disappointed with their initial game in the tournament. In short tournaments, a strong start is crucial as opportunities are limited. A single loss can be decisive, as was the case here.”
“Their batting needs strengthening. While Atal performed well, players like Rahmat Shah need to be more consistent. Gurbaz, a key player, had an uncharacteristically quiet tournament. These are the areas where they fell short this time.”
