Former Australia all-rounder Darren Lehmann took a light-hearted dig at his former teammate Jason Gillespie over a prediction about Afghanistan for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. Lehmann said the Afghan team would not qualify for the semi-finals despite playing in spin-friendly subcontinent conditions.
On Wednesday, December 31, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced a 15-player squad for the T20 World Cup. Rashid Khan will remain the captain for the global event. Naveen-ul-Haq has returned after recovering from a shoulder injury. The selectors intend to field a settled and fully fit group for the event.
They Won’t Even Come Close – Darren Lehmann
Jason Gillespie has made a big prediction regarding the T20 World Cup on social media. Former head coach of Pakistan said that the Afghan team will reach the final.
“Afghanistan will make it to the World T20 final,” Jason Gillespie wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).
His former teammate Darren Lehmann said Afghanistan would not only miss the final but also fail to get close, turning the prediction into a friendly online debate.
,I love you Diz but they won’t come close and won’t even come close,” Darren Lehman replied,
I love you Diz, but they won’t do it and won’t even come close. https://t.co/ZY9cRhnuQB
– Darren Lehmann (@darren_lehmann) 1 January 2026
Afghans reach semi-finals of T20 World Cup 2024 after wins over New Zealand and Australia
The Afghan team’s campaign in the T20 World Cup 2024 was one of their best campaigns. They recorded big wins over New Zealand in the group stage and Australia in the Super Eights. A tense win over Bangladesh later sealed their place in the semi-finals.
However, their campaign ended in disappointment in the semi-finals, where they were bowled out for only 56 runs. South Africa chased the target easily and finished the match within nine overs.
However, reaching the semi-finals of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is another big step for Afghanistan. Before the T20 World Cup 2026, Afghanistan will play a three-match T20 series against UAE on January 19, 21 and 22.
Darren Lehmann’s impressive career despite limited opportunities
Darren Lehmann played most of his international career in Australia’s most dominant era, which limited his chances despite strong form. He appeared in only 27 Tests and 117 ODIs as the batting positions were occupied by players like Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist and the Waugh brothers.
The former all-rounder scored 1,798 Test runs at an average of 44.95 and 3,078 ODI runs at an average of 38.96. He also contributed with the ball and took 67 international wickets with his left-arm spin. Lehmann was part of Australia’s World Cup-winning squads in 1999 and 2003.
After retiring, Lehmann made a successful move into coaching. He took over as head coach of Australia in June 2013, leading the team to two Ashes series wins and leading them to the 2015 World Cup title on home soil. He became the second person to win the World Cup as both a player and coach. Lehmann also won the IPL as a coach with Deccan Chargers in 2009.
Also read: Afghanistan T20 World Cup team announced, Mumbai Indians star out