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Rashid Khan Admits Execution Let Afghanistan Down in T20 WC Loss to NZ

Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan pinpointed a failure in execution as the key reason for his team's five-wicket loss to New Zealand in their T20 World Cup opener. He believed the total of 182 was defendable but the bowlers failed to land the ball in the right areas consistently. Rashid highlighted Gulbadin Naib's positive batting intent as a key positive from the match. Looking ahead, he stressed the urgent need for improvement in the opening and powerplay phases.

Key Points: Rashid Khan on Afghanistan's T20 WC Loss: Execution Failed

  • Afghanistan lost by 5 wickets
  • Gulbadin Naib scored 63
  • Tim Seifert's 65 guided NZ
  • Rashid cites execution failure
  • Focus on powerplay improvement
2 min read

T20 WC: Rashid Khan reflects on 'execution,' points out areas of improvement after Afghanistan's loss to NZ

Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan reflects on the five-wicket defeat to New Zealand, citing poor execution with the ball and powerplay struggles.

"We already have the meetings for Plan A, Plan B. It's about the execution. We haven't landed the ball in the right areas. - Rashid Khan"

Chennai, Feb 8

Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan admitted his side fell short in key phases, particularly with the ball and during the powerplay, and noted the areas where the team could improve after they suffered a five-wicket defeat to New Zealand in theopening game of Group D of the T20 World Cup at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday.

Afghanistan posted a competitive 182/6 after being put in to bat, built around a well-paced innings from Gulbadin Naib, who struck 63 off 35 balls to anchor the middle overs. Contributions from Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli and late cameos from Azmatullah Omarzai and Mohammad Nabi helped push the total beyond 180, a score Rashid believed was defendable on the surface.

Reflecting on the bowling effort, Rashid said, "We learnt a lot with the ball. I thought 182 was a good score to defend but we gave too many balls to score."

Afghanistan made early inroads in the chase, with Mujeeb Ur Rahman removing Finn Allen and Rachin Ravindra inside the first two overs to leave New Zealand 14/2. However, Tim Seifert's counterattacking 65 and a brisk partnership with Glenn Phillips swung momentum firmly in New Zealand's favour, exposing Afghanistan's inability to maintain pressure through the middle overs.

Rashid acknowledged that plans were in place but execution let the side down. "We already have the meetings for Plan A, Plan B. It's about the execution. We haven't landed the ball in the right areas."

The Afghanistan skipper felt conditions demanded a fuller commitment to a disciplined length, especially as the pitch slowed slightly. "If we had bowled into the wicket and at good length, it was difficult to score."

Despite the defeat, Rashid pointed to positives, singling out Naib's approach with the bat. "Gulbadin came up and showed us the right intent to score."

Looking ahead, Rashid stressed the need for improvement at the top of the innings and in the crucial powerplay phase. "We need to improve in certain areas. The opening has to improve, how we play the first six overs matters."

New Zealand eventually completed the chase at 183/5 with 15 balls to spare. Afghanistan will aim to regroup quickly ahead of their next Group D clash against South Africa.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Gulbadin Naib's innings was brilliant! He showed how to build an innings. But the powerplay bowling, after those two early wickets, was disappointing. Let the pressure slip completely.
R
Rohit P
As an Indian fan, I always enjoy watching Afghanistan play. They have the heart, just need more consistency. Their spin attack is world-class on its day, but the pace bowling needs to support them better. All the best for the next match!
S
Sarah B
Respect to Rashid for such a honest assessment. "Plans were there, execution let us down" – that's the story for so many teams. They'll bounce back. The talent in that squad is undeniable.
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Vikram M
The Chennai pitch did slow down. Rashid's point about bowling into the wicket was key. Our bowlers kept bowling pace-on when cutters and slower balls might have worked. A learning experience.
M
Michael C
It's one game. This is a dangerous Afghan side on their day. They beat big teams before, they can do it again. South Africa next – that's a massive game for them now.
K
Kavya N
While I admire the team's spirit, I have to respectfully disagree with Rashid slightly. The top order batting is a

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