Asia Cup 2022: 5 Afghanistan players to watch out for

Afghanistan will be one of the dark horses in the upcoming Asia Cup 2022 that will be played in the UAE. This team cannot be underestimated as they can dismantle any side on a given day. They were really lethal in the last edition that was played at the very same venue where they defeated Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, almost stunned Pakistan and secured a hard-fought draw against India. Ahead of this year’s continental tournament here are the five Afghanistan players that the opposition teams must watch out for.

1. Mohammad Nabi

The onus will be on skipper Mohammad Nabi not only to lead his side from the front but also make an impact with his all-round abilities. Nabi currently occupies the top spot in ICC Men’s T20I all-Rounders rankings and is only behind his Bangladesh counterpart Shakib Al Hasan in terms of overall runs and wickets in T20I history. Nabi might not be in good nick, but the Asia Cup 2022 could witness the best version of his skills as an all-rounder.

2. Rashid Khan

Rashid Khan is arguably the lifeline of Afghanistan as he is known to bamboozle the world-class batters with his lethal leg-spin and can also score handy runs at the backend of the innings lower down the order. Rashid currently occupies the fifth position in the ICC Men’s bowlers rankings and his four overs l could sound a death knell to the opposition batters in the continental tournament.

3. Hazratullah Zazai

Hazratullah Zazai is an explosive top-order batter who has the potential to deliver brisk starts for Afghanistan once he gets going. Zazai has a variety of shots in his arsenal which is good enough to put early pressure on the opposition bowlers. Meanwhile, the dynamic batter has already amassed 867 runs from 28 T20Is so far at an outstanding strike rate of 144.50.

4. Najibullah Zadran

Najibullah Zadran is yet another key player who is expected to make a bigger impact in Asia Cup 2022. He was Afghanistan’s leading run-getter in the T20I series against Ireland scoring 125 runs. The southpaw is known for his batting stability and power-hitting and can also be a game-changer in the middle-order.

5. Mujeeb ur Rahman

Last but not least, one cannot take the eyes of the ball when it comes to facing the mystery spinner Mujeeb ur Rahman. The youngster can breach the defence of the batters at any phase of the game with his amazing spin variations and the opposition batters must handle him with utmost care while picking his lines and lengths.