Afghanistan

Afghanistan Cricket Team Schedule

Currently, the Afghanistan are in the United Arab Emirates, to play 3 One Day International matches. The first match of the series will begin on 21 January 2021, the second match is scheduled on 24 January, while the third match is to be played on 26 January. All three matches will be played at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi. Head-to-head, in the last five encounters, Afghanistan won two ODI matches, and Ireland won 3 games. Afghans won their last encounter which was in May 2019 in Ireland. That win had drawn the ODI series 1-1, after which the two sides clashed in India for 3 T20I series, which went to Afghanistan 2-1.

In the upcoming series, Afghanistan would rely on Rahmat Shah and Asghar Afghan as far as their batting is concerned. Rahmat Shah made 313 runs in the last 10 games with an average of 31.30, while Asghar Afghan scored 278 runs in his last 9 matches with an average of 30.89 and strike rate of 86.34. Mohammad Nabi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Rashid Khan, and Mohammad Nabi are the pillars of Afghanistan’s bowling attack. Rahman has taken 11 wickets in the last 8 ODIs, while Nabi has taken 8 in the last 10 games. Both Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi have taken 130 wickets in ODIs.

Afghanistan Vs Ireland

Since 2010 to date, Afghanistan has played most of its international matches against Ireland. Their first-ever encounter was back in February 2010, which was a T20I game for the Sri Lanka-Associates T20 Series. Afghanistan had lost the game by 5 wickets. Ireland and Afghanistan have played against each other frequently in the last decade. They played 27 ODIs, out of which Afghanistan won 13, lost 13, and 1 game was abandoned. They also clashed quite often for T20I games and played overall 18 T20I matches, out of which Afghanistan won 14, lost just 3. One game was tied, but in the end, Ireland clinched it in the super-over.

The two sides also played 1 Test match, which was in March 2019 at Afghanistan’s home-venue – Dehra Dun, India. Afghanistan won the Test by 7 wickets. It was the result of collective efforts from all the players to seal the historic maiden Test win. Rahmat scored 98 runs in the first innings and 76 in the second innings. Asghar made 67 runs in the first innings, while Ihsanullah too scored a half-century in the second innings. Nabi and Yamin Ahmadzai took 3 wickets each in the first innings. Rashid Khan grabbed five wickets in the second innings and Ahmadzai took 3 wickets.

Afghanistan Vs Zimbabwe

Afghanistan cricket team has played the second most number of matches against Zimbabwe. Overall, they played 34 matches which include 25 One Day International matches and nine T20 International games. In those 25 ODIs, Afghanistan won 15 games, lost 10. While from 9 T20I clashes, Afghanistan won 8 times and lost just one game.

The two teams clashed first time in 2014 July for the One Day International match when Afghanistan visited Zimbabwe for the first time. The 4-match ODI series was drawn 2-2. In the last 5 games, Afghanistan won 3 matches and Zimbabwe won 2.

Before their clash in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2018 which went in Zimbabwe’s favour, the two sides clashed in UAE for the 5-match ODI series and 2-match T20I series. Afghanistan won the ODI series by 4-1 after winning both the T20I games. In ODIs, Rahmat Shah and Nasir Jamal had scored one half-century each, while in T20Is Mohammad Nabi scored the most runs (85 runs in two innings). Rashid Khan took most of the wickets – 5 wickets in two T20Is and 7 wickets from 3 ODIs.

Afghanistan vs Scotland

Afghans played overall 19 International matches against Scotland across all the formats. Afghanistan never lost a T20I match against Scotland out of the 6 games they played so far. Out of 13 ODI encounters, Afghanistan won 8, lost 4, and 1 game was abandoned. Their first encounter was in 2009 when they participated in the ICC World Cup Qualifier. Afghanistan had won the match by 89 runs then thanks to Mohammad Nabi’s half-century and Hamid Hassan’s 3-wickets haul. In February 2010, they played their first T20I match in Abu Dhabi, UAE, in which they lost by 14 runs after putting up 131 runs on the board.

Before the World Cup 2019, they had visited England and Scotland to get accustomed to the conditions, where they had two ODIs scheduled. The first match was abandoned due to bad weather, while Rahmat Shah (113 in 115 balls) led the side to the 1-0 series win as they won the second ODI. Mohammad Shahzad (55 runs) and Hashmatullah Shahidi (59 runs) played crucial roles in the run-chase, while Asghar Afghan’s played the cameo with 18-balls 22.

Afghanistan vs West Indies

Afghanistan played 17 Internation cricket matches against the Test-playing nation West Indies, which includes played 9 ODIs, 7 T20Is, and 1 Test match. In 2016 March, the two sides played their first International match. It was one of the league matches in the T20 World Cup 2016, in which Afghanistan had stunned everyone by defeating the West Indies, the eventual title winners, by 6 runs. Najibullah Zadran was the player of the match, as he scored 48 runs, which was a superb score for a low-scoring game. They had successfully defended the modest total of 123 runs in that game. They had topped the first-round Group B table, leaving behind Zimbabwe, Scotland, and Hong Kong, to secure their berth in the Super 10 of the World T20 series 2016.

The last time the two sides clashed in India in 2019 for the bilateral series, that included 3 ODIs, 3 T20Is, and 1 Test. Afghanistan lost the ODI series 0-3, but later won the T20I series 2-1. In the only Test they played, Afghanistan lost by 9 wickets, after scoring just 187 and 120 runs in two innings. Javed Ahmadi (62 in the second innings), Amir Hamza (5 wickets in the first innings) were remarkable in that match.

Afghanistan vs Bangladesh

Afghanistan played their first International game against Bangladesh on 1 March 2014, in the Asia Cup in Bangladesh. Afghans had made 256 runs batting first, thanks to Asghar Afghan’s unbeaten 90 runs, and Samiullah Shinwari’s 69-balls 81. They had bowled out the hosts for 222 runs. Nabi had led the bowling attack with 3 wickets for 44 runs. Since their first encounter, they clashed in 15 International matches. Afghans won the only Test match the two sides played and won 3 out of 8 ODIs, and 4 out of 6 T20Is.

The two sides last faced each other in September 2019, in the Tri-series with Zimbabwe being the third team. They faced thrice in the series, Afghanistan one 1 game, lost 1 to Bangladesh, while the final match was abandoned without a ball bowled.

On 5 September 2019, the two teams played a Test match, in which Afghanistan defeated Bangladesh by whopping 224 runs, after scoring 342 and 260 runs. They bowled out Bangladesh for 205 in the first innings, and 173 runs in the second innings. In the first innings, Rahmat Shah had scored a century, Rahmat Shah had scored 92, and skipper Rashid Khan scored a half-century too. Rashid Khan also got the 5-wickets haul in both the innings of the Test.

Afghanistan vs UAE

Afghanistan played 12 International matches against the United Arab Emirates, which includes 6 One Day International matches and 6 Twenty-20 International games. Afghanistan and UAE are neck and neck in the ODIs, with 3 wins for each. In T20 format, Afghanistan won 5 out of 6 encounters and lost just 1 game. They played their first ODI game on 2 May 2014 at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in which Afghanistan won by 70 runs. Their first T20I match was on 10 July 2015 at Edinburgh, England, in which Afghans won by 8 wickets.

The two sides last time clashed on March 20, 2018, as they contested in the ICC World Cup Qualifier. Afghanistan had bowled out UAE for 177 runs, as Rashid Khan once again got a 5-wickets haul, conceding just 41 runs. Dawlat Zadran grabbed 3 wickets for 45. Gulbadin Naib scored 74 and Najibullah Zadran scored 63 off 64 balls to seal the match. Eventually, Afghanistan went on to play their second consecutive World Cup (main).

Afghanistan vs Netherlands

Afghanistan and Netherlands had their first encounter in 2009, August, when Afghanistan travelled to Netherlands to play the two-match T20I series. Afghanistan lost the first ODI by 8 runs, but they came back in the second ODI and chased down the target of 232 by 6 wickets and 20 balls remaining. Mohammad Shahzad led the chase with a remarkable century (110 runs from 111 balls). Since then, the two sides clashed 10 times, including 6 ODIs and 4 T20I games. Afghans defeated Netherlands in 4 out of 6 ODIS they played. In 4 T20I encounters, both sides won 2-2 games.

They haven’t played a single match after their T20I encounter in 2015 for the ICC World T20 Qualifier, in which Afghanistan won. They also haven’t played an ODI match after March 2012.

Afghanistan vs Kenya

Afghans played 9 International matches against Kenya. Their first encounter was way back in 2010, for ICC World Cricket League Division One match. In that ODI, Afghanistan defeated Kenya by 1 wicket, while chasing down the target of 234 runs. Samiullah Shinwari’s 82-runs knock and Nabi’s quick 47 made it possible for the side to beat Kenya.

Overall, the two teams played 6 ODIs against each other, out of which Afghanistan won 4 matches and lost 2. In T20 format, Afghans won 2 out of 3 matches and lost one game to Kenya. They haven’t played after their last encounter at the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier, in November 2013. Afghanistan had defeated Kenya by 34 runs after scoring 148 runs batting first. Noor Ali Zadran’s 48-balls half-century was noteworthy. Samiullah Shinwari, the player of the match, was brilliant with the ball, as he took 5 wickets for just 13 runs in his four overs.