World Cup 2023 gave us belief that we are capable of beating any side at any time: Rashid Khan

Afghanistan kicked off their ICC T20 World Cup 2024 campaign in an incredible fashion, registering a dominating win over Uganda by 125 runs at the Providence Stadium in Guyana. The convincing victory left captain Rashid Khan riding high with confidence, believing that his side is capable of beating any team on the back of their recent ODI World Cup success.

Coming off an inspirational performance at last year's ODI World Cup in India, the Afghan camp is looking to take the same momentum into the T20 World Cup. Khan lauded his team's all-round display and gave a warning to other teams.

"Last World Cup that gave us so much confidence. That gave us the belief that we are capable of beating any side at any time. It is not just about the skill and the talent, it is also about the belief, and concentrating on what we are doing rather than thinking of what the opposition is doing," Rashid Khan said as quoted by India Today.

Also read: AFG vs UGA Match 5 Highlights: Unmissable video recap, turning points, match analysis, stats, and more

This is the kind of start we wanted as a team: Rashid Khan

The Afghan skipper also highlighted the importance of a positive start in an event like the World Cup and being in the right frame of mind.

"This is the kind of start we wanted as a team. Does not matter who we play, it is about the mindset. The hard work we have done in the last few weeks, the way the openers started, and the way our bowlers bowled, it was a great overall team effort," he added.

Talking about the match, Uganda captain Brian Masaba won the toss and opted to field first, Afghan openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz (76) and Ibrahim Zadran (70) set the tone with a blistering 154-run opening stand. Despite a middle-order stutter, the side posted a total of 183/5.

Also read: Rashid Khan optimistic of Afghanistan’s chances, reflects on batting improvement

If their batting raised hopes, the Afghan bowlers exceeded expectations. Spearheaded by Fazalhaq Farooqi's 5/9, they never allowed Uganda's batters to settle, dismissing them for a mere 58.

Looking ahead to their next Group C clash against New Zealand on June 08 at the same venue, Rashid wants his side to keep things simple for the upcoming clash. "Big game for us. It is about keeping things simple," Rashid concluded.