In a series of articles, Standard Sport takes a look at the ten teams bidding for glory at the ten teams bidding for glory at the 2019 Cricket World Cup. Next up, it's outsiders Afghanistan.
World Ranking: 10
World Cup best performance: Group stage (2015)
Captain: Gulbadin Naib
Coach: Phil Simmons
Since the last World Cup they’ve…
Become a fully-fledged member of the cricketing fraternity. Back in 2017, Afghanistan were granted full ICC membership, including Test status, capping a remarkable rise, given they only acquired associate membership four years earlier.
In the one-day game, there have been momentum-building wins over the West Indies, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, all of whom they will meet again this summer, although the decision to strip Asghar Afghan of the captaincy just two months out from the tournament has ruffled a few feathers.
Strength
Their spin bowling attack is right up there with the very best in the tournament, led by superstar Rashid Khan and also including Mohammad Nabi and Mujeeb ur Rahman.
Spin may well be at a premium on flat English pitches at the start of the tournament, but if they begin to dry out and deteriorate as the summer goes on, Afghanistan will be well-placed to prosper.
Weakness
The batting line-up is more than suspect. The top order has not yet been finalised, and though most of their batsmen can score quick runs, there is little glue to hold it all together, in the kind of role that Joe Root plays for England. Expect a few collapses.
Star man – Rashid Khan
Still only 20, Khan already has a plethora of records to his name, including the fastest player to 100 ODI wickets and the youngest to ever captain an international side.
Currently ranked the number one all-rounder in ODI cricket, as well as the number one bowler in the T20 format, and playing in his first World Cup, Khan seems certain to be one of the stars of the tournament.
The expert's verdict - Will Macpherson, cricket correspondent
"Whatever happens, Afghanistan will be great fun. They have a series of superb, slippery spinners, led by Rashid Khan, the best in the business.
"Their batsmen only know one way, and that’s to attack. They will bloody some noses in their nine games and even if they don’t make the last four, they will certainly have a say in who does."
Final 15-man squad
Gulbadin Naib (c), Rashid Khan (vc), Aftab Alam, Asghar Afghan, Dawlat Zadran, Hamid Hassan, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Hazratullah Zazai, Mohammad Nabi, Mohammad Shahzad (wk), Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Najibullah Zadran, Noor Ali Zadran, Rahmat, Shah, Samiullah Shinwari
