Spin the key for new Afghan captain

KABUL: Afghanistan’s World Cup preparations were thrown off kilter when they controversially decided to replace successful captain Asghar Afghan with the little-known Gulbadin Naib two months before the tournament.

Asghar was confident his spin trio of Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Mohammad Nabi could dismantle any team once they had a fighting total on the board. With the return of fast bowler Hamid Hasan, Afghanistan’s attack has more venom. But their hopes lie with Rashid, Mujeeb and Nabi, who have been the key men in recent years, helping Afghanistan make it through the qualifying competition in Zimbabwe last year.