Champions Trophy: Shahidi expresses confidence ahead of South Africa clash
What's the story
Afghanistan cricket team's captain Hashmatullah Shahidi has exuded confidence ahead of their 2024 Champions Trophy opener against South Africa.
The game is set to take place on Friday, February 21 at the National Stadium in Karachi.
Despite having only two wins against the Proteas in their cricketing history, Shahidi is undeterred and optimistic about his team's prospects.
Here's what the skipper had to say.
Recent victory
Shahidi draws confidence from recent series win
Shahidi takes confidence from Afghanistan's 2-1 ODI series win over South Africa in Sharjah last year.
Notably, it was their first ODI series win against a top-five-ranked team.
"Between 2019 and now there's too much difference and just recently we beat them in Sharjah - 2-1 so we have that confidence with us," Shahidi said during the pre-match press conference.
"We are not under pressure anyway, because right now we are focusing what we can do," he added.
Consistent performance
Afghanistan's impressive track record in white-ball formats
Afghanistan have been on a roll in the past few years, especially in white-ball cricket.
Their stunning performances were on display during the last ODI and T20 World Cups, where they registered historic victories over teams like Pakistan and England.
Additionally, in the 2024 T20 World Cup, Afghanistan made it to the semi-finals of an ICC major event for the first time by defeating Australia in the Super 8s.
Future aspirations
Afghanistan aim for continued success in Champions Trophy
Now, Afghanistan are looking to carry the momentum into the ICC Champions Trophy.
They have been placed in Group B along with Australia, England, and Sri Lanka.
Shahidi said his team is eyeing their first-ever final of an ICC event, adding conditions in Pakistan and UAE will suit their spin-heavy attack.