Asia Cup 2025: 3 costly mistakes that ruled Afghanistan out of Super Fours

Published - 25 Sept 2025, 17:00 IST | Updated - 25 Sept 2025, 16:20 IST

The Asia Cup 2025 turned out to be a forgettable tournament for Afghanistan. Initially emerging as underdogs in world cricket, they gradually cemented their legacy with world-class spinners who dominated opponents with their turn and wicket-taking abilities.

Many thought that the continental tournament would be Afghanistan’s chance to come closer to final glory. However, Afghanistan failed to cross the group stage, losing two matches against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka while winning only one, against Hong Kong. Although the team showed flashes of promising batting throughout the tournament, these performances often fell short of translating into victories as the inability to close out games once again cost them dearly.

In the tournament opener against Hong Kong, Sediqullah Atal and Rahmanullah Gurbaz played solid half-century knocks on a challenging pitch before the Afghan bowling attack rattled the opposition, securing a comfortable win.

In the second match against Bangladesh, the opposition openers provided a solid start, but Afghanistan’s bowlers fought back to restrict them to a modest total. However, their pursuit towards the target resulted in a collapse. Unable to build partnerships, and the failure to anchor the run chase, they lost the game.

In the final group match against Sri Lanka, a do-or-die clash, the top order failed once more, forcing veteran Mohammad Nabi to take charge under immense pressure. The Rashid Khan-led side managed to post a fighting total, but it was never enough, as Sri Lanka chased it down with relative ease.

Afghanistan's top-order batters, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, and Ibrahim Zadran, struggled to provide strong starts in crucial matches. The team often had to rely on the lower-middle order to stabilise innings, creating unnecessary pressure, and leaving too less of a space to make a comeback in a format where an over could change the context of the game.