Dale Steyn believes Afghanistan can win an ICC tournament within the next decade if they develop more patience in their game. He emphasized that both their bowlers and batters often rush to force results, rather than building pressure methodically.
Afghanistan impressed in the Champions Trophy 2025, securing a thrilling win against England in Lahore. However, they failed to reach the knockouts after losing to South Africa and struggling against Australia before rain intervened. Steyn noted that while playing T20 leagues benefits Afghan players financially and skill-wise, exposure to four-day cricket could help them develop patience, a crucial trait for ODI success.
“In the past, players improved their patience through county or first-class cricket,” Steyn said. “But now, even on social media, we struggle to focus for more than two seconds. Afghanistan’s players seem similar on the field—every ball must take a wicket, every shot must be a six. They need to build up pressure rather than seeking instant results.”
Former India batter Wasim Jaffer also praised Afghanistan’s rise but pointed out their struggles at the start of tournaments and their inconsistent batting. Ibrahim Zadran scored a match-winning 177 against England, but others, like Sediqullah Atal and Rahmanullah Gurbaz, failed to capitalize on good starts. Gurbaz, their key batter, managed just 16 runs in three games.
“Afghanistan are no longer an underdog story,” Jaffer said. “They beat top teams and put on a show. But their slow start cost them. In short tournaments, one bad game can knock you out. Their middle order must step up, and players like Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi need to be more consistent.”
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