Afghanistan vs Pakistan – A Rare Clash of Asian Neighbors

Given the influence that Pakistan and India have had on Afghanistan cricket in terms of providing infrastructure, inspiration and coaches, it’s kind of ironic that Afghanistan have hardly played the two big teams from their region. Political crises contributed as did the mushrooming of T20 leagues around the world, which resulted in fewer bilateral series being scheduled. This October-November, Afghanistan and Pakistan will meet in the UAE for the first time at a T20 World Cup.

Pakistan won the tournament in 2009, but haven’t made it to the semi-finals since 2012. With India and New Zealand also in the same group, Pakistan can’t afford a slip-up if they’re to qualify for the final 4. For many of Afghanistan’s senior players, this could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to upset the country where most of them learned to play cricket. This Afghanistan-Pakistan cricket match certainly won’t lack drama or thrill.

Super 12: Group 1 & Group 2

Group 1
Group 2

The Super 12 stage, which is the second round of the tournament, consists of 12 teams. The top 8 teams in T20I rankings are joined by the 4 qualifiers from Round 1. The top 2 from each group will advance to the semi-finals.

- England
- Australia
- South Africa
- West Indies
- Sri Lanka
- Bangladesh

- India
- Pakistan
- New Zealand
- Afghanistan
- Scotland
- Namibia

Afghanistan vs Pakistan Head to Head Stats

They may be neighbors but strained political relations have meant that Afghanistan and Pakistan have barely played each other in the past decade. There has been only one match at global events, during the 2019 World Cup, and it’s now nearly 8 years since they played their only T20I.

Overall Stats

- Format
- Matches
- Afghanistan Won
- Pakistan Won
- Draw/Tie/NR
- ODI
- 1
- 0
- 1
- 0
- T20I
- 8
- 7
- 1
- 0
- Total
- 5
- 0
- 5
- 0

Afghanistan vs Pakistan in World Tournaments

- Format
- Matches
- Afghanistan Won
- Pakistan Won
- Draw/Tie/NR
- 50-over World Cup
- 1
- 0
- 1
- 0
- Total
- 1
- 0
- 1
- 0

Afghanistan and Pakistan Squads for T20 World Cup 2021

Afghanistan Full Squad

Mohammad Nabi (C), Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Karim Janat, Hazratullah Zazai, Gulbadin Naib, Usman Ghani, Naveen ul Haq, Asghar Afghan, Hamid Hassan, Najibullah Zadran, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Mohammad Shahzad (WK), Farid Ahmad

Traveling reserves: Samiullah Shinwari, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Dawlat Zadran, Fazal Haq Farooqi

Traveling reserves:
Samiullah Shinwari, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Dawlat Zadran, Fazal Haq Farooqi

Pakistan Full Squad

Babar Azam (C), Shadab Khan, Asif Ali, Sarfaraz Ahmed (WK), Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, Haider Ali, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shoaib Malik

Traveling reserves: Khushdil Shah, Shahnawaz Dahani, Usman Qadir

Traveling reserves:
Khushdil Shah, Shahnawaz Dahani, Usman Qadir

Mohammad Nabi: Afghanistan Captain

In a sense, the story of Nabi’s career is also the tale of Afghan cricket’s rise. From repeatedly smashing MCC bowlers onto the Western Railway tracks in Mumbai during a game in 2006 to leading his team in global events, Nabi has come a long way. Though he’s 36 now, he remains a big hitter, and his tidy off-spin has often been used even in Power Play overs. With Afghanistan cricket in turmoil after all the political changes in the country, the board has again opted for a captain who brings a sense of calm to the team.

Nabi’s Batting Career Summary

- Format
- Matches
- Runs
- Highest Score
- Avg
- SR
- 50s
- 100s
- 4s
- 6s
- Test
- 3
- 33
- 24 vs IND
- 5.5
- 48.52
- 0
- 0
- 4
- 1
- ODI
- 127
- 2817
- 116 vs ZIM
- 27.61
- 85.02
- 15
- 1
- 177
- 89
- T20I
- 81
- 1396
- 89 vs IRE
- 21.81
- 145.72
- 4
- 0
- 87
- 63

Babar Azam: Pakistan Captain

It’s a measure of how consistently excellent Babar has been that he is currently ranked in the top 10 in every single format. Top of the rankings in ODIs, he is currently No. 2 in T20I rankings. Pakistan haven’t reached the semi-final of the T20 World Cup since 2012, and they won it only once, in 2009. Azam’s batting class will be pivotal to the team’s hopes of ending that drought.

Azam’s Batting Career Summary

- Format
- Matches
- Runs
- Highest Score
- Avg
- SR
- 50s
- 100s
- 4s
- 6s
- Test
- 35
- 2362
- 143 vs BAN
- 42.94
- 55.14
- 18
- 5
- 283
- 11
- ODI
- 83
- 3985
- 158 vs ENG
- 56.92
- 89.57
- 17
- 14
- 360
- 41
- T20I
- 61
- 2204
- 122 vs RSA
- 46.89
- 130.64
- 20
- 1
- 231
- 33

Afghanistan vs Pakistan: Top Performers & Statistics in T20Is

Top Performers with the Bat in T20Is
Top Performers with the Ball in T20Is

Afghanistan vs Pakistan: Most Runs in T20Is
- - Mohammad Hafeez (Pakistan)
  - 42 runs
- - Najibullah Zadran (Afghanistan)
  - 38 runs
- - Ahmed Shehzad (Pakistan)
  - 35 runs
- - Umar Akmal (Pakistan)
  - 28 runs
Afghanistan vs Pakistan: Highest Scores in T20Is
- - Mohammad Hafeez (Pakistan)
  - 42* runs (2013)
- - Najibullah Zadran (Afghanistan)
  - 38 runs (2013)
- - Ahmed Shehzad (Pakistan)
  - 35 runs (2013)
- - Mirwais Ashraf (Afghanistan)
  - 28* runs (2013)

Afghanistan vs Pakistan: Most Wickets in T20Is
- - Junaid Khan (Pakistan)
  - 3 wickets
- - Sohail Tanvir (Pakistan)
  - 2 wickets
- - Mohammad Nabi (Afghanistan)
  - 1 wickets
- - Shahid Afridi (Pakistan)
  - 1 wickets
Afghanistan vs Pakistan: Best Bowling Figures in T20Is
- - Junaid Khan (Pakistan)
  - 3/24 (2013)
- - Sohail Tanvir (Pakistan)
  - 2/11 (2013)
- - Mohammad Nabi (Afghanistan)
  - 1/21 (2013)
- - Shahid Afridi (Pakistan)
  - 1/24 (2013)

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FAQs: Afghanistan vs Pakistan

Which celebrated documentary traces Afghanistan cricket’s journey from refugee camps to the T20 World Cup?

Tim Albone’s documentary Out of the Ashes shows the Afghanistan team from their days in the World Cricket League’s 5th division and charts their remarkable rise.

Which Afghan player’s Rambo-style face paint and energetic pace bowling made him a cult hero at Afghanistan’s first World T20 in 2010?

Hamid Hassan, whose genuine pace earned him figures of 1/8 from 3 overs in their opening match against India.

Why is the T20 World Cup 2021 happening in the UAE instead of India?

The T20 World Cup was moved from India to the UAE because of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The decision was made after the second wave of the pandemic hit India.

Where to watch the T20 World Cup 2021 matches?

You can watch the live telecast of all the T20 World Cup 2021 matches on the Star Sports channels on TV, and on the Hotstar app on your laptop/mobile phone.

Which Pakistan city is credited with being the place where most of this generation of Afghan players learned to play cricket?

Peshawar, just across the border from Afghanistan, played host to thousands of Afghan refugees during the conflicts of the 1990s. Many of the current Afghan cricketers, including Nabi and Rashid Khan, developed their skills while playing the game in Peshawar.

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