Cricket World Cup: Afghanistan team profile & player to watch

Afghanistan were still considered a bit of an ICC novelty act before their first World Cup appearance four years ago when they were brushed off dismissively by Australia, New Zealand and a dire England side, defeating only Scotland.

However, they are now deserving of their full-member status and few observers would be stunned if they registered the kind of shocks Ireland managed with their wins over Pakistan and Bangladesh in 2007 and the brilliant Bangalore triumph over England in 2011.

Defending 232 in Dunedin four years ago, the Afghans had Sri Lanka wobbling at 18-3 and 51-4. Since then they have recorded 50-over victories over Bangladesh, the Lankans and the West Indies, when ace leg-spinner Rashid Khan took 7-18, as well as regularly beating Ireland, Scotland and Zimbabwe.

Afghanistan's three-wicket warm-up win over Pakistan in Bristol served notice to their World Cup rivals that they are not in the tournament to make up the numbers.

Lively all-rounder Mohammad Nabi claimed three wickets with his well-flighted off-spin against Pakistan and young left-handers Hazratullah Zazai (49 off 28 balls) and Hashmatullah Shahidi (74 not out) contributed telling knocks in the run-chase.

There are no worries about Afghanistan going through the gears with the bat after February's new international T20 record score of 279-3 against Ireland, built on opener Hazratullah’s 162 not out.

At the 2016 World Twenty20, they finished their campaign with a win over the Windies, who went on to claim the trophy, and troubled both South Africa and England.

Leggie Rashid, who made his international bow at the age of 17 in October 2015, is the million-dollar man with his IPL, Big Bash, and Caribbean Premier League contracts but the white-ball spin services of Nabi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman are also in demand around the world.

Skipper Gulbadin Naib took 6-43 as the Afghans bounced straight back after a defeat to Ireland in Belfast this month and fellow quicks Hamid Hassan, who took three wickets in Dunedin four years ago, Aftab Alam and Dawlat Zadran can also take scalps in clumps.

Former skipper Asghar Afghan (who changed his name from Stanikzai last year), wicketkeeper and hard-hitting opener Mohammad Shahzad, and Samiullah Shinwari are the old heads in the batting line-up and Rahmat Shah chips in frequently too.

Player to watch
Rashid Khan
The world’s best white-ball batsmen are so wary of Rashid after last year’s sensational tally of 48 ODI and 22 Twenty20 international wickets that it may pay not to expect huge hauls.

However, his brisk variations of flatly-delivered leggies, sliders and googlies will still demand full attention and the pressure to score at the other end could well lead to wickets for his fellow bowlers.

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