NEW DELHI: Following their
comfortable victory over Sri Lanka in a World Cup match on Monday, Afghanistan's captain Hashmatullah Shahidi credited his team's confidence to their previous successful run chase against Pakistan.
Afghanistan on Monday confidently pursued a target of 242 against Sri Lanka, losing only three wickets, marking their first World Cup triumph against the Islanders.
Shahidi was referring to Afghanistan's impressive eight-wicket victory over Babar Azam's Pakistan side in Chennai on October 23. In that game, they successfully chased a target of 282, losing just two wickets, which served as a significant confidence booster for the team.
“Pakistan chase gave us a lot of confidence and belief that we can chase any kind of target. We started really well in bowling (against SL) and the chase was very professional and I am very happy about it,” said Shahidi in the post-match presentation.
The Afghan skipper said their coach Jonathan Trott changed his and the team's mindset.
“Coaches are always positive. We worked very hard before the World Cup. Right now, all the coaching and management staff are working hard and giving us confidence.
“Before the Pakistan game, coach's (Trott) words changed my and the team's mindset a lot,” he added.
Shahidi made an unbeaten fifty and shared a 111-run partnership with Azmatullah Omarzai for the unbroken fourth wicket alliance to take the Afghans home.
Afghanistan will now face Netherlands on Friday in Lucknow.
The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the ...
Read MoreThe TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide.
From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more.
The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics.
We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects.
We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.
Read Less