Afghanistan captain confident of beating Australia ahead of their clash

Afghanistan's cricket team captain, Hashmatullah Shahidi, emphasized that they can beat Australia in their Champions Trophy clash.

He also explained that the team is not focusing solely on Australian star Glenn Maxwell, but on planning for the entire Australian team ahead of their upcoming match in Lahore. Speaking to the press before the game, Shahidi made it clear that their approach would be holistic.

“We haven’t only planned for Glenn Maxwell, we’ve planned for the whole team,” Shahidi said. 

“We are playing against Australia, not just one player, and what happened in the past is history. Our complete focus is on tomorrow’s match,” he added. 

Shahidi further mentioned the morale boost following Afghanistan’s victory over England, describing the team as confident. 

“After winning against England, the players’ morale is high. Australia is a tough team, but we will give them a good fight and try to win,” he further added. 

The Afghanistan captain is optimistic that his side can carry their momentum forward, drawing on the belief that if they can defeat England, they can beat Australia too. 

“If we can beat England, we can beat Australia as well. Our goal is to win against Australia and reach the semi-finals,” Shahidi said.

Discussing the upcoming match, Shahidi revealed that the team will stick to a simple strategy. 

“We will keep a straightforward plan for the match against Australia and focus on executing the plan we have set for them,” he stated.

Shahidi also highlighted the strength of Afghanistan's spinners, noting that with the right conditions, they could challenge any team. 

“Our spinners are good, and if there is any assistance from the pitch, we can beat anyone,” he explained.

Finally, Shahidi expressed gratitude for the unwavering support of Afghan fans, who have stood behind the team in every match. 

“Afghan fans always support us, even against England, and we hope to see them cheering for us in the match against Australia as well,” Shahidi concluded. 

Afghanistan will face Australia tomorrow, February 28, at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.