‘We play better spin in the nets sessions’ – Hashmatullah Shahidi confident ahead of India challenge

Afghanistan skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi has expressed confidence in his team's ability to tackle the Indian spinners when the two teams meet on October 11 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi in their second group stage match of the ODI World Cup 2023.

Afghanistan faced a tough test against Bangladesh in their tournament opener, battling it out in Dharamsala. Their batting lineup struggled to find its footing, ultimately crumbling for a modest 156 runs. The relentless duo of Shakib Al Hasan and Mehidy Hasan Miraz from Bangladesh made sure Afghanistan's batting contingent had a torrid time.

Afghanistan, reeling from an opening defeat to Bangladesh, are on the hunt for their first points in the tournament while, India, fresh off a challenging encounter against Australia in Chennai, are eager to maintain their momentum.

Despite being caught off guard by the spin prowess of the Bangladeshi spinners, Afghanistan remains undaunted as they brace themselves for India's formidable spinners.

"You know, we play better spin in the nets sessions. If you see Rashid [Khan], Nabi [Mohammad], Noor [Ahmad] and Mujeeb [Ur Rahman], we play them every day," Shahidi said. "I think our team is far, far better [than what it showed against Bangladesh in Dharamsala] at playing spin bowling. That game we know we struggled, but [based on] one game, you can't say you're not good enough. That game is gone now, and we know we can play spinners better and we'll try to come back in next game." Shahidi was quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

Also Check: ODI World Cup 2023 Schedule

He emphasized the importance of his batters absorbing pressure and setting a competitive total. When questioned about the impending showdown with India, he underscored the significance of handling pressure effectively, given the fervent support India is likely to receive from the home crowd. 

"We have the talent and we have the skill to make a comeback in the next game and for the rest of the tournament. India will get a huge crowd support in the game against us, and we have to work through the crowd pressure," Shahidi said.