Former Afghanistan cricket captain Asghar Afghan has accused Australia of making excuses to avoid playing against the Afghanistan cricket team.

In recent years, Australia has refused to compete against Afghanistan, citing concerns over Afghanistan’s human rights record, particularly regarding women. However, Afghan believes that Australia is avoiding matches due to fear of losing to a strong Afghanistan side.

Speaking at the Legends League Cricket event, Afghan said, “There is a fear of playing us and losing. We are no longer the team we were a few years ago, and we can beat any side on our day.” He added that if Afghanistan played against Australia in Sharjah or India, it would be a tough challenge for the Aussies.

Afghanistan recently defeated Australia in the 2024 T20 World Cup, securing a convincing win by restricting them to 127 runs in response to Afghanistan’s 148/6. Afghan believes this win, and other close contests, demonstrate the narrowing gap between the two teams.

After a heavy 47-run defeat by India, Afghanistan is under pressure not just to secure a win but also to improve their Net Run Rate, which took a severe hit in their first Super Eight game.

Afghanistan currently sits third with a Net Run Rate of -2.350. They face an uphill battle to improve their standings in a group that also includes Bangladesh.

Despite the loss, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran have been standout performers for Afghanistan, with 178 and 160 runs respectively. However, the team needs more contributions from their middle and lower-order batters.

On the bowling front, Fazalhaq Farooqi and Rashid Khan have consistently troubled batters across varied pitches. Farooqi has taken 15 wickets, while Rashid has claimed nine. Their performance will be crucial in stopping Australia’s powerful batting lineup.

Australia, the 2021 T20 World Cup winners, have won five matches in a row. David Warner and Travis Head form a destructive opening pair, with 169 and 179 runs respectively. Afghanistan will need to bring their A-game to halt the in-form Australian batters.

The last time these teams met was in the ODI World Cup in 2023, where Glenn Maxwell’s incredible double hundred led Australia to victory. Afghanistan will be motivated to exact revenge in a format where they feel more comfortable.

The match promises to be a thrilling encounter as Afghanistan aims to execute their plans perfectly against a dominant Australian side.