Rashid Khan gives cruel warning to India and other teams ahead of T20 World Cup final
kumaralokekma
Afghanistan national cricket team captain Rashid Khan has sent a stern and fearless warning to all the teams including India ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026 starting on February 7.
Rashid Khan said that Afghanistan is ready to make a splash in T20 World Cup 2026
Rashid Khan has made it clear that Afghanistan are not entering the tournament feeling inferior or intimidated by big names, conditions or publicity. He has shown the fearless mentality of Afghanistan by saying that whichever team they face in the T20 World Cup 2026 final, it will be an upset.
Which team would be disappointing for you to defeat in the World Cup?
The star spinner believes that there is no special advantage to any team playing in India, including his own team, in the T20 World Cup 2026, adding that success in the tournament will only depend on how a team performs on the match day.
Also read: PCB puts forward 6 demands to Jay Shah to avoid boycott of India vs Pakistan match
The Afghan superstar pointed out that almost every team in the showpiece event has players who regularly play in the IPL and are familiar with the Indian pitches and conditions.
“All the teams, they are playing the IPL here in India. So, there is no added advantage for Afghanistan. It is all about the day and how you play your best cricket,” Rashid Khan said at the ICC T20 World Cup captain’s press conference.
Rashid Khan rejects 300-run hype
Meanwhile, teams are already talking about big scores in the mega event, but the Afghanistan captain has taken a very different and bold approach. England captain Harry Brook has spoken openly about the chances of teams scoring 300 runs in India and said that his team wants to attack the bowlers as much as possible.
On the other hand, West Indies captain Shai Hope has also shared the aggressive batting mindset, saying that the batsmen should aim to score as many runs as possible without specifying any target. However, Rashid has completely rejected this fear-driven thinking.
The star spinner believes that bowlers should never accept the idea that conceding 200 or more runs is normal, as nervousness is the biggest enemy of bowlers in modern T20 cricket.
Also read: Suryakumar Yadav announces India’s participation in IND vs PAK match despite Pakistan’s boycott
Rashid sent a strong message to the power hitters
The Afghanistan captain has stressed that if the bowler remains calm, sticks to good line and length and follows a clear plan, even the most aggressive batsman cannot hit sixes at will.
Rashid said, “As a bowler, you can’t really think about it. I will never accept that the opponent will have 200 runs. If the opponent has that mentality, you need to stay calm and plan. If you are bowling in good areas, there is no way that the batsman will hit you for 4-5 sixes.”
Notably, Afghanistan have been drawn in Group D along with South Africa, New Zealand, Canada, and UAE, and they will begin their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign on February 8 in Chennai.
