Hashmatullah Shahidi

Speaking ahead of Afghanistan's one-off Test against India in New Chandigarh, starting on Saturday, Shahidi said the team needs a more comprehensive Test schedule to continue its development.

India dominated day two of the Test against Afghanistan. Hosts declared at 564/8, with centuries from Shubman Gill and KL Rahul. Debutant Manav Suthar impressed with three wickets. Afghanistan ended the day at 113/5, trailing by 451 runs. Rahmat Shah reached 1,000 Test runs. India is in a strong position to win.

Afghanistan missed a crucial DRS opportunity to dismiss Rishabh Pant, who went on to score 81 runs. Replays later confirmed a clear edge on Pant's bat, a decision that proved costly for the visitors. Pant's entertaining knock was eventually ended by captain Hashmatullah Shahidi.

Rishabh Pant missed out on a century against Afghanistan, falling for 81 after a miscued attacking stroke. Former player Saba Karim suggested fatigue and dehydration, rather than poor shot selection, contributed to the dismissal. Pant's innings was crucial in India's strong first-innings total.

Rishabh Pant achieved a significant milestone, becoming the third Indian wicketkeeper to play 50 Test matches. At 28, he joins legends Dhoni and Kirmani. Despite recent career challenges, Pant's Test record remains exceptional, marked by match-winning performances and a strong batting average. This achievement underscores his enduring value in the longest format of the game.

Afghanistan coach Richard Pybus on Saturday took a sly dig at KL Rahul after the India opener chose not to walk despite edging the ball behind the stumps. At that stage, Rahul was batting on 16 and went on to complete his 12th Test hundred.

Manav Suthar received his first India Test cap on Saturday. The Rajasthan all-rounder was presented with the cap before the Afghanistan Test. Suthar is a 23-year-old left-arm spinner and lower-order batsman. He earned his call-up after strong domestic performances. This debut marks a significant step for the young cricketer.

Spinners Expected To Dominate Blazing-Hot Clash

India took charge on Day One, posting an impressive score of 368/3 against Afghanistan, highlighted by KL Rahul and Shubman Gill's centuries and a vital 81 from Sai Sudharsan. Although the innings began with some jitters from post-IPL fatigue, the Indian top order found its rhythm, culminating in strong performances from Gill and Rishabh Pant.

KL Rahul's patient century and Sai Sudharsan's fluent 81 guided India to a strong position on Day 1 of the one-off Test against Afghanistan. Both batsmen successfully transitioned from T20 to Test cricket, overcoming initial rustiness and justifying the team management's faith. Their partnership laid a solid foundation for India's dominance.

Afghanistan on Monday dropped four players from their Twenty20 World Cup squad, also shuffling the one-day combination for their tour of Bangladesh starting next month.

Hashmatullah Shahidi will captain Afghanistan in their first ICC Champions Trophy, starting February 19. Key players include Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rashid Khan, and Mohammad Nabi. Spinner Mujeeb-Ur-Rahman will miss the tournament. Afghanistan's group matches are against South Africa, England, and Australia.

Skipper Asghar Afghan on Thursday became the first Afghanistan batsman to hit 150 in an innings of a Test match. The 33-year-old cricketer achieved the feat in the ongoing second Test against Zimbabwe at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium.

Bowling all-rounder Karim Janat is in line to play his first one-day international in six years following his inclusion on Sunday in the Afghanistan squad for the Asia Cup. The 25-year-old played his lone one-dayer in Zimbabwe in 2017 and made his test debut against Bangladesh in June this year.

Afghanistan chose to bowl first after winning the toss against New Zealand in the World Cup match. Afghanistan stuck to the same team that defeated England. The pitch is expected to be favorable for strokeplay, with the ball coming onto the bat nicely. New Zealand is currently second in the table, while Afghanistan is in sixth place.

The Greater Noida Sports Complex Ground will host a historic one-off test match between Afghanistan and New Zealand. Led by captains Hashmatullah Shahidi and Tim Southee, the event is expected to draw over 10,000 cricket fans. Supported by Play Sports, this match marks a significant moment for the city.

Afghanistan won the toss and chose to bat against Australia in the 39th match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. Afghanistan made one change to their team, bringing in Naveen-ul-Haq in place of Fazalhaq Farooqi. Australia replaced Steve Smith and Cameron Green with Mitchell Marsh and Glenn Maxwell.

Ace spinner Rashid Khan was Monday named in a strong Afghanistan squad for the five-match Twenty20 international series in Ireland starting next week. The 23-year-old is a key for Afghanistan in Ireland as well as in the Asia Cup (August-September) in United Arab Emirates and Twenty20 World Cup (October-November) in Australia.

Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi won the toss and chose to bat against South Africa in the 42nd match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. Afghanistan retained their playing XI from the last match against Australia while South Africa made two changes, bringing in Andile Phehlukwayo and Gerald Coetzee. Shahidi mentioned that they wanted to bat first due to the expected spin in the second innings. South Africa captain Temba Bavuma expressed the desire to chase and mentioned that the pitch might skid on later. This match also marks Kagiso Rabada's 100th ODI.

Captain Hashmatullah Shahidi remained unbeaten on 179 as Afghanistan trails Zimbabwe by 71 runs after a rain-hit fourth day of the first Test. Rahmat Shah scored 234 in a 364-run partnership with Shahidi, while rain halted play at 515/3. Both teams face slim chances of victory with more rain forecast for the final day.

Afghanistan on Monday named a squad packed with spin bowlers for the three-match one-day series in Sri Lanka next month, with one eye on this year's World Cup in India.

The 1992 champions Pakistan made one change to their playing eleven, replacing the fever-stricker Mohammad Nawaz with Shadab Khan. Meanwhile, Afghanistan decided to go with an extra spin option in the form of Noor Ahmad, who came in for fast bowler Fazalhaq Farooqi.

Aiden Markram's unbeaten 69 steered South Africa to a seven-wicket victory against Afghanistan in the third ODI, avoiding a series whitewash. Chasing 170, South Africa recovered from 80-3 with an unbroken partnership between Markram and Tristan Stubbs. Despite this defeat, Afghanistan achieved a historic series win by securing victories in the first two matches.

Afghanistan's captain, Hashmatullah Shahidi, has vowed to achieve more victories in their ODI World Cup campaign after a remarkable victory over Pakistan. Afghanistan secured their second surprise victory in the World Cup, including their first win over Pakistan in 50-over cricket. The victory was built on a dazzling all-round performance, with Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran playing pivotal roles. Pakistan suffered an eight-wicket defeat on a challenging Chennai pitch.

Afghanistan's surprising victory over defending champions England has elevated the team's standing, and New Zealand would be wise not to underestimate Hashmatullah Shahidi's side when they face off in their World Cup match on Wednesday.

Afghanistan secured a 2-0 series win in the third ODI against Ireland, with Mohammed Nabi contributing 48 runs and taking five wickets. Rahmanullah Gurbaz scored 51 off 53 balls, while captain Hashmatullah Shahidi anchored the innings with a steady 69, despite facing resistance from the Irish bowlers in the final overs.

Afghanistan cricket has been progressing rapidly,as shown by their strong performances in recent ICC tournaments. They reached the semifinals of the 2024 T20 World Cup and secured key victories in the 2023 ODI World Cup. Their Test team also shows potential but needs more matches against top teams to improve further.