Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan has underlined that his side are more focused on performing well in ICC tournaments than on winning bilateral series.
Speaking at a pre-match press conference ahead of the first T20I against Bangladesh in Sharjah on Thursday, Rashid said the team’s goal was long-term progress rather than short-term glory.
“For us, each and every game is competitive. We are not here just to have fun, enjoy, and then go back. We have a target, and the target is how we are going to be a perfect and balanced side for the next World Cup. That has been the mindset since the last World Cup,” he said.
Afghanistan have had limited game time in the format over the past year. They played a three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe in December 2024 and then waited eight months before featuring in a tri-series with Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates in Sharjah ahead of the Asia Cup.
Reflecting on that lack of cricket, Rashid said, “We have not played many T20Is as a team to be honest. Before the tri-series, the last time we played was in the World Cup seven or eight months ago. To get back together as a team and get better for the future does take time.”
The leg-spinner made it clear that results in bilateral series would not define success.
“From now on, losing does not matter that much for us, as long as we become a well-prepared side for the World Cup. If we win now and we do not win in the World Cup, that is more upsetting. But if we lose now and become stronger for the World Cup, that is a win for us,” he explained.
He pointed to recent history to justify his approach.
“Before the 2024 World Cup, we lost many games, but we came back and reached the semi-finals which was a huge achievement. It was the same in the 2023 World Cup. We lost three matches in a row to Pakistan in a bilateral series, we lost our first two games to India and Bangladesh, and then we beat big teams like England, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. There is always something to learn, and that is our challenge and our target,” he said.
