Rahmat Shah Backs Afghanistan to Win UAE Tri-Series as Captains Brace for High-Stakes Tournament
Afghanistan 'The Favourite Team' in Familiar Conditions
Afghanistan captain Rahmat Shah believes his side will start as the team to beat when the tri-nation series involving Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and Afghanistan begins in Abu Dhabi on October 17.
Speaking to reporters in Abu Dhabi on Friday, Rahmat pointed to his team's extensive experience of playing in the Emirates as the decisive factor.
"I think Afghanistan would be the favourite team here because we've been playing all our games in the UAE, and the majority of the games in Abu Dhabi or Sharjah. So, I think we have more advantages considering the home conditions here," Rahmat said.
He was quick to add that the opposition should not be underestimated. "I would not say that they are not good teams, but yeah, all the teams have prepared themselves well for this event and, yeah, it's going to be a good event," he said.
Test Draw Against Bangladesh 'A Great Achievement'
Rahmat also reflected on Afghanistan's recently concluded one-off Test against Bangladesh, describing the hard-fought draw as a historic result after his side recovered from a difficult position.
"To say about the Test game, what I feel is that it was one of the historic games, from where we fought back. We were struggling in between, and then, in the last one and a half days, the way the batters batted, credit goes to all the boys, especially the batters who batted well throughout, in the heat we were having there," he said.
"In such a game, when Bangladesh was having the upper hand, to bounce back and end up with a draw is a great achievement."
The skipper said the result would carry momentum into the one-day leg of the tour. "So, it's obvious that the Test draw is going to give us a good boost and confidence for the ODI games," he added.
Rashid Khan and Nabi Return to Strengthen ODI Side
Rahmat welcomed the return of Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi for the ODI series, with Rashid having been rested for the Test against Bangladesh as part of his workload management.
"Both the players, Nabi and Rashid, are world-class players and they have proved it to everyone. Especially Rashid Khan, whenever we have played any Test games in which we have won, he's been a major cause for it because he's always achieved the benchmark of receiving the Man of the Match award," Rahmat said.
"Especially Rashid, not having him in the Test squad, we missed him. But, yeah, having them for the ODIs is going to be a great advantage for us. They are world-class players, as I mentioned earlier," he added.
Raza: 'No Clear-Cut Favourite' Despite Afghanistan Advantage
Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza, who addressed the same press conference after Rahmat, agreed that Afghanistan would enjoy a home-conditions edge but insisted all three teams could lift the trophy.
"I always think that the home side always has that extra advantage, and rightly so, because Afghanistan has played a lot of cricket in these conditions," Raza said.
Zimbabwe arrived in the UAE only two days before the briefing and had completed just two training sessions. Even so, Raza saw a realistic path to the title for every side.
"We only arrived two days ago, so this is our second training session. But having said that, regardless of who I think is the favourite, any team who plays good cricket will have a great chance of winning, and I think all three teams have a fairly good chance to win the tournament," he said.
"So I wouldn't say there's a clear-cut favourite, but I would say that these are Afghanistan's home conditions, and they certainly have an extra advantage."
Litton Das Warns of Tri-Series Pressure
Bangladesh captain Litton Kumar Das, the first of the three skippers to face the media, highlighted the unforgiving nature of a tri-series, where there is little margin for error from the opening match.
"I have been playing for a long time, but my experience of tri-series is very limited," Litton said.
"When you play a tri-series, there is extra pressure because all three teams have the same target: to reach the final. In a bilateral series, even if you lose the first match, you still have a chance to level the series, and then there can be a decider. But in a tri-series, losing the first match can put you on the back foot, and net run rate also comes into play," he said.
Tournament Set for Abu Dhabi Opener
The tri-series brings together Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and Afghanistan, with the action getting under way in Abu Dhabi on October 17. For Afghanistan, the event continues a busy schedule in the Emirates and follows a one-off Test against Bangladesh that ended in a draw.