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Afghanistan's cricket team, under the captaincy of Hasmatullah Shahidi, truly made a mark in the 2023 World Cup with a series of impressive performances. Their journey in the tournament, often likened to a fairytale, saw them transition from underdogs to significant challengers. With four victories, including wins against former World Cup champions Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and England, Afghanistan showcased their growing stature in international cricket. This is particularly noteworthy given their history of just two World Cup wins prior to this tournament.
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Despite their loss to South Africa in their final match on November 10th, 2023, Afghanistan's spirited display was evident. Azmatullah Omarzai's unbeaten 97 propelled the team to a total of 244, a commendable effort even though South Africa clinched the match with a five-wicket win. This performance solidified Afghanistan's best World Cup campaign to date and secured them a spot in the Champions Trophy.
In his post-match comments, Shahidi expressed satisfaction with his team's overall performance and their unwavering determination throughout the tournament. He highlighted the collective efforts of the batting unit, noting how they came together to identify and address their weaknesses. The Afghan skipper's pride in their achievements was evident, despite admitting that the match result against Australia was a jolt.
"As a captain, I'm quite happy with the performance we did. We fought till the last moment in each game. We had good games and a lot of learnings for us," said Shahidi.
"Yeah. Proud of the way our batters have done in this tournament. We were struggling before this tournament. We sat together and talked about the weak points. In the end, you saw the result of how our batters performed. We are looking forward to the future. We know we have a good spin department. If we keep batting in a similar fashion in the future, we will have a very good side."
"We gave a good message to the world with this tournament. We fought till the last moment against the big teams. The results didn't go our way but we fought till the end. Even in that match against Australia, you saw we fought till the end. That Australia game was very shocking to us. Even the next day, it was shocking for me. But I'm proud of the team," he added.
Shahidi's focus is now set on the future, as he believes the team has sent a powerful message to the world with their World Cup campaign. The Afghan team's display of skill, resilience, and teamwork has not only won them accolades but has also marked a significant chapter in their cricketing journey, promising a bright and competitive future on the global stage.
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