The Afghanistan Cricket Team has come a long way since its beginning on the cricket ground. Their journey on the ground was filled with memories of achievements, with some setbacks too. In the current time, the team is outshining in cricket by giving its best performance against its strong competitors. Let’s deep dive into its rise to fame in recent times with some brief history and a list of current players.
A Brief History Of the Afghanistan Cricket Team
The team’s cricket journey is remarkable, marked by swift progress and continuous growth on the field. Their story on the cricket ground began in the late 1990s. For them, the game was introduced by refugees who fled to their country from neighboring countries like Pakistan. Their first-ever international match was played in 2001.
They learned this sport during the post-Soviet Era, and most of their players practiced this sport in Pakistan when the country was ready to form its official team. Then they started participating in domestic matches. In the year 1995, they formed the federation and named it the Afghanistan Cricket Federation (later known as the Afghanistan Cricket Board). Overall in T20, Afghanistan has played ~175+ matches, winning around 100+ (as of August 2025). When it comes to One-Day Internationals(ODIs) as of August 2025, the team has played a total of ~170+ matches, of which they have won 85+ of them.
Rise In Current Standing
The rise of this team is highlighted by its ability to defeat major cricket-playing countries in recent times. Afghanistan’s skillful bowling attack, led by the world-renowned leg-spinner Rashid Khan, has been pivotal in these victories. Rashid Khan’s mastery of variations and his impeccable control have established him as one of the most intimidating bowlers in the world. Along with him, other players also gave their best in the performance of their teams.
In the past, the team has defeated strong cricket teams like England, Australia, West Indies, Pakistan, and more.
Big & Popular Wins of the Afghanistan Cricket Team
Given below is the table of their recently won matches in one year:
| Year | Opponent | Tournament/Series | Venue | Highlight |
| 2015 | Scotland | ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 | Dunedin, NZ | Afghanistan’s first-ever World Cup win, chasing 211 to win by 1 wicket. |
| 2016 | West Indies | ICC T20 World Cup 2016 | Nagpur, India | Beat eventual champions West Indies by 6 runs in group stage. |
| 2018 | Sri Lanka & Bangladesh | Asia Cup 2018 | Abu Dhabi, UAE | Defeated Sri Lanka by 91 runs and Bangladesh by 136 runs in the group stage. |
| 2018 | India | Asia Cup Super 4 (Match tied) | Dubai, UAE | Famous tie against India, defending 252 and bowling out India in last over thriller. |
| 2019 | Pakistan | ICC World Cup Warm-up | Bristol, England | Beat Pakistan by 3 wickets in warm-up, shocking the cricket world before WC. |
| 2021 | Scotland | ICC T20 World Cup 2021 | Sharjah, UAE | Crushed Scotland by 130 runs – one of their biggest WC wins. |
| 2022 | Sri Lanka | Asia Cup 2022 | Dubai, UAE | Defeated Sri Lanka by 8 wickets in opener with a fiery pace attack. |
| 2023 | England | ICC ODI World Cup 2023 | Delhi, India | Stunning upset: Beat defending champions England by 69 runs. |
| 2023 | Pakistan | ICC ODI World Cup 2023 | Chennai, India | Historic first-ever win vs Pakistan in ODIs, chasing 283 with 8 wickets in hand. |
| 2023 | Sri Lanka | ICC ODI World Cup 2023 | Pune, India | Beat Sri Lanka by 7 wickets, showing consistency. |
| 2024 | Australia | ICC T20 World Cup 2024 (Super 8) | St Vincent | Defeated mighty Australia by 21 runs, shocking the cricket world. |
| 2024 | Bangladesh | ICC T20 World Cup 2024 | St Vincent | Beat Bangladesh to reach semi-final, qualifying for their first-ever World Cup semifinal. |
| 2025 | England | ICC Champions Trophy 2025 | Lahore, Pakistan | Beat England by 8 runs (Ibrahim Zadran’s 177 runs), proving their rise in ODIs. |
Current Squad Of the Afghanistan Cricket Team
The current squad of the Afghanistan cricket team features a blend of experienced players as well as some new talent:
| Player Name | Role |
| Rashid Khan (c) | Captain, Leg-spinner |
| Hashmatullah Shahidi | Top-order Batsman |
| Ibrahim Zadran | Batsman |
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz | Wicketkeeper-Batsman |
| Ikram Alikhil | Wicketkeeper-Batsman |
| Sediqullah Atal | All-rounder (Opener) |
| Azmatullah Omarzai | All-rounder |
| Mohammad Nabi | Veteran All-rounder |
| Gulbadin Naib | All-rounder |
| Fareed Ahmad | Fast Bowler |
| Fazalhaq Farooqi | Fast Bowler |
| Noor Ahmad | Leg-spinner |
| Mujeeb Ur Rahman | Mystery Spin Bowler |
| Allah Ghazanfar | Left-arm Spinner |
| Naveen-ul-Haq | Fast Bowler |
Conclusion
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (founded in 1995) has shown the fastest rise in cricket history from refugee camps to full ICC membership in 2017. As of 2025, Afghanistan’s cricketing future looks brighter than ever. With players like Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, and others continuing to develop their skills and dominate international cricket, the team is well-positioned to cause further upsets and rise in world rankings. The team’s ability to compete with the top-tier cricketing nations, especially in T20 formats, has garnered attention worldwide.
Written by: Raman
Audited by: Anchal
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Refresh Date: August 29, 2025