The Afghanistan squad, led by Rashid Khan, is yet to shine in the Asia Cup 2025. They have a classy squad of Mohammad Nabi and Rahmanullah Gurbaz. Their campaign in the T20 World Cup 2024 was noteworthy, when Afghanistan caught every cricket fan's eyes. Their fearless cricketing style makes them a worthy opponent, and not one to underestimate. They are seated with Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Hong Kong in Group B. Ahead of the Asia Cup 2025 check out Afghanistan squad, recent form, their record in Asia Cup and chance of winning.
Afghanistan Asia Cup Squad 2025
Rashid Khan (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Darwish Rasooli, Sediqullah Atal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Karim Janat, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Mohammad Ishaq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, AM Ghazanfar, Noor Ahmad, Fareed Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi.
Recent Form (T20Is)
Afghanistan's recent T20 form has been competitive but also inconsistent. In the T20 World Cup 2024, they had a great run to the semi-finals, with impressive wins over Australia, Bangladesh, and New Zealand. However, they were heavily defeated by South Africa in the semi-final, getting bowled out for just 56.
More recently, in the UAE Tri-Series from August to September 2025, their performance was mixed. They won three of their four round-robin matches, including a victory over Pakistan, and lost only to Pakistan. However, in the final against Pakistan, they collapsed and lost by 75 runs. This inconsistency is a recurring theme. Their record in the last 8-10 matches is about four wins and four or five losses, showing they can perform well but struggle in high-pressure matches.
Key players to watch for Afghanistan are:
- Rashid Khan: The leading T20I wicket-taker, with a great bowling economy of 6.
- Ibrahim Zadran: A key batsman with a strike rate of 144.4.
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz: An aggressive opening batsman.
- Noor Ahmad: A brilliant spinner with a good economy of 6.5.
- Fazalhaq Farooqui: A fast bowler who is very effective in the powerplay, with an economy of 7.
One concern for the team is the absence of Mujeeb ur Rahman, who missed the Champions Trophy 2025 due to a hand sprain. While Afghanistan's spin bowling attack is world-class, their batting can be inconsistent and prone to collapsing in big games.
Afghanistan Record in Asia Cup
| Matches Played | 9 |
| Won | 2 |
| Lost | 7 |
| Best Performance | 2018, 2022 (Super Four) |
Afghanistan Chance of Winning Asia Cup 2025
Afghanistan's spin bowling and experienced team can make them a good contender, as they have shown their potential in the recent T20 World Cup 2024, by reaching the semi finals. However, their batting collapses and matches against top teams, would be the biggest challenge, they would face. They can comfortably reach Super Four, but reaching the finals, is a matter of chance.
Chance of Winning: 11.76% (Based on the odds)
Where will they finish: Afghanistan to make it to the Super Four stage in the Asia Cup.
