(PTI Photo)
Former Pakistani cricketer Mohammad Hafeez praised the Afghanistan National Cricket Team for their impressive performance in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024. He indirectly criticized the Babar Azam-led Pakistani team, stating that the Rashid Khan-led Afghan side is the second-best team from Asia.
Afghanistan’s journey in the T20 World Cup 2024 came to an end with a disappointing loss to South Africa in the semi-final match held at Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba on Thursday (27th June).
Despite the defeat against South Africa, Afghanistan showcased a commendable performance throughout the tournament, displaying prowess with both bat and ball at every stage.
During the league stage, Afghanistan displayed dominance, losing only one match. They defeated New Zealand convincingly, eliminating them from the tournament and progressing to the Super 8 stage.
In the Super 8 stage, Afghanistan rebounded from a loss against India and went on a winning streak. They secured a notable victory over Australia by 20 runs and triumphed over Bangladesh, securing their place in the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup 2024.
The team’s success was a result of collective efforts, with Rahmanullah Gurbaz emerging as the tournament’s leading run-scorer, accumulating 281 runs in 8 innings. Meanwhile, Fazalhaq Farooqi topped the wicket-taking charts with 17 dismissals, supported by Rashid Khan with 14 wickets and Naveen-ul-Haq with 13 wickets.
Despite their outstanding performances, Afghanistan fell short of reaching the final but left a lasting impression with their entertaining cricket throughout the tournament.
Keep ur head up & should feel proud of the journey u all had – Mohammad Hafeez on Afghanistan
Following Afghanistan’s exit from the T20 World Cup 2024, Mohammad Hafeez expressed deep admiration for their performance throughout the tournament. He commended the Rashid Khan-led team for their entertaining style of play and emphasized that they should take pride in their journey. Hafeez took to Twitter to elaborate:
“Hats off to @ACBofficials putting up the most incredible performances in this @T20WorldCup 2024. Undoubtedly 2nd best white ball cricket team in South Asia. U all surely entertained fans around the globe with ur skills & commitment to representing ur country. Keep ur head up & should feel proud of the journey u all had. Kudos 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼.. @rashidkhan_19 @RGurbaz_21 @fazalfarooqi10.”
Mohammad Hafeez’s remark about Afghanistan being the second-best Asian team was likely intended as a subtle criticism of the Pakistan Cricket Team, who were eliminated during the league stage of the tournament.
