DUBAI (Reuters) – Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan hailed the team’s maiden T20 victory against Pakistan but said their front-line batters need to improve ahead of the 50-overs World Cup in India later this year.
Rashid and his team mates humbled a new-look Pakistan by six wickets in the opening T20 International in Sharjah on Friday.
They restricted the young Pakistan side, led by Shadab Khan, to 92-9 and chased down the target with 13 balls to spare with Mohammad Nabi making an unbeaten 38 in the low-scoring contest to go with his two wickets with the ball.
“It’s a pleasure to win as we’ve always lost against them, sometimes with small margins,” Rashid said after the victory.
“Happy for the win, and we hope to continue the momentum.”
It was not an easy chase though as Afghanistan slumped to 27-3 before Nabi rescued them.
Rashid said their top order needed to perform better in the ongoing three-match series and maintain that form heading into the ODI World Cup in October-November.
“We need to improve not just for this series but as we get to the World Cup,” Rashid said.
“From now on, we need to put effort day by day and game by game, so that by the end of the year, when we go for the World Cup, we’ll have a fully prepared squad.”
The second T20 is scheduled for Sunday.
(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; editing by Robert Birsel)
