If you have been following Asian cricket for several years, you must have noticed one team that will never allow itself to be taken lightly – that team is Afghanistan. From exciting wins over giants to producing spinners who are increasingly taking over T20 leagues all around the world, Afghanistan is developing a reputation that cannot be ignored or taken lightly. But here is the dilemma – can we deem them the second strongest team in Asia, or are they still just on the back of a string of outstanding performances? Let’s address this cricket conundrum.
Impressive Wins That Turn Heads
There is no question that Afghanistan provided some considerable hiccups. In case you forgot, at the 2023 ODI World Cup, they defeated defending champions England as well as Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Though they quite clearly won these matches, they were not fluky, and all were the product of a strategic plan, skill, and composure under pressure. Afghanistan reminded everyone they’re never pushovers, taking down Pakistan by 18 runs in the UAE Tri-Series ahead of the 2025 T20I Asia Cup.
Since gaining Full-Member status in 2017, they have made outstanding strides. The group has superb strategic awareness in how they read the game, expose their opposition, and develop an understanding of the conditions. And then there is their spin factory: Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and Mohammad Nabi are match-winners and not just good spinners.
Consistency: The Missing Puzzle Piece
And now is where things get a bit trickier. The brilliance of Afghanistan is typically just flashes of brilliance, but can it be more constant? They have never won an Asia Cup title, but they have an inconsistent ICC ranking—7th in ODI and 9th in T20I, in the world. Yet, in Asia, they are actually ranked below Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
Put Afghanistan against the established heavyweights, India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan, and clearly, Afghanistan has much to prove before achieving sustained success. All three teams have developed a history of persistent domination throughout Asia Cups and the grand stage of World Cups. Bangladesh just proved they can occasionally ‘punch above their weight,’ by making three finals in the Asia Cups.
The Undeniable Potential
However, you cannot dismiss the skill and intent on the Afghan side. Their victorious, subordinate performances and fearless cricket indicate that they are not afraid to take on the best teams, and with the exciting, talented youngsters being introduced into the team, they are nowhere near depleted. Afghanistan’s abundance of spin, attacking batsmanship, and opportunistic game plan confirms they can be a challenge in any T20.
Is Afghanistan Asia’s second-largest cricket nation? The answer is complicated. They have the talent, tactics, and passion to compete with anyone, but they are still unable to show consistency in major tournaments. Maybe one day we will see them raise an Asia Cup trophy and silence the doubters—but for now, this team is the thrilling and unpredictable element of Asian cricket.
FAQs
- Is Afghanistan considered Asia’s second-strongest cricket team?
Not officially, as consistency and major tournament wins still place teams like India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan ahead.
- What are Afghanistan’s biggest recent victories?
They defeated England, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka in the 2023 ODI World Cup and beat Pakistan in the 2025 UAE Tri-Series.
- Who are Afghanistan’s key players?
Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and Mohammad Nabi are the standout spinners, while Rahmanullah Gurbaz leads the batting attack.
