Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan was all smiles after his side clinched a crucial five-wicket triumph against UAE in the T20 World Cup 2026 Group D encounter on Monday at Arun Jaitley Stadium. Rashid’s economical spell of 1/24 played a pivotal role in restricting UAE to 160/9, a total Afghanistan overhauled with composure.
Sitting third in the group with one win from three outings, the Afghans host Canada next on February 19. This morale-boosting result comes after back-to-back defeats, fueling hopes of progression.
Rashid, during the presentation ceremony, shared his thoughts candidly. ‘Thrilled to end the match on a winning note. World Cup victories are gold,’ he beamed. He dissected the bowling effort: excellent death overs, but room for improvement upfront. ‘UAE capitalized on our early errors. We strayed from our plans in the powerplay. Consistency in the first 10 is key moving forward.’
He singled out Ibrahim Zadran for his fiery batting post Gurbaz’s quick exit. ‘Gurbaz thrives on aggression, dominating powerplays. But staying longer helps the team immensely.’
Emphasizing experience, Rashid name-checked seniors Nabi, Omarzai, and Mujeeb. ‘Super 8 is within reach with positivity. Regardless, our goal is nation-inspiring cricket.’ As the tournament heats up, Afghanistan’s campaign gains traction with this vital scalp.