5 reasons why Afghanistan deserve Test status at the earliest

#4 Bowling and batting have been revelations

Mohammad Nabi has been Afghanistan’s stalwart

The credit for their surge to supremacy must go to their stupendous batsmen and also to the bowling, which has grown in leaps and bounds over the years. Inexperience sometimes led to their bowlers being carted around and their batsmen bamboozled by the big boys of cricket, but it was hardly a deterrent for a side keen on leaving their mark on the international stage.

While the likes of Mohammad Shahzad and Mohammad Nabi showcased their batting prowess in big games, their bowlers, Rashid Khan and Dawlat Zadran, have struck crucial blows for their team at crunch moments.

Rashid Khan’s fastest five-wicket haul – in 12 balls against Ireland – has taken the cricketing world by storm. Mohammad Shahzad, the swashbuckling wicketkeeper who has been unflinching in his approach, became the first Afghan to bag the ICC Associate Cricketer of the Year award in 2016.

The feather in Afghanistan’s cap, meanwhile, is Nabi and Rashid’s selection in the IPL.