Afghanistan’s cricket captain, Hashmatullah Shahidi, recently spoke about the intense rivalry between Afghanistan and Pakistan, especially after his team’s historic win against Pakistan during the 2023 ODI World Cup in India.

In an appearance on a popular Indian podcast, Shahidi reflected on the emotions surrounding that victory, which was a turning point for Afghanistan after several close defeats to Pakistan.

“Back home, people were overjoyed. In past World Cups, the Asia Cup, and series against Pakistan, we came close but couldn’t win. The 2019 World Cup match was in our hands but slipped away, and in the 2022 Asia Cup, we suffered heartbreak when Fazal Haq got hit for two sixes by Naseem Shah. We had lost nearly eight matches that we should have won,” Shahidi recounted.

He described the moment of victory against Pakistan in Chennai: “When the opportunity came, I was fortunate to lead the team, and I finished the match. After the win, the happiness was overwhelming; I couldn’t sleep the whole night.”

When asked to compare this victory with Afghanistan’s win over Australia in the 2024 T20 World Cup, Shahidi said, “Both wins were important, but the victory over Pakistan in the ODI World Cup was monumental; it brought incredible joy to the people.”

During the podcast, Shahidi expressed his admiration for cricket legends, saying he preferred Virat Kohli’s cover drive over Babar Azam’s. He also named Jasprit Bumrah as the best bowler while recognizing the talent of Pakistan’s Shaheen Afridi. When asked to choose the toughest Pakistan pacer between Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, and Mohammad Amir, Shahidi confidently selected Shaheen.

Looking ahead to the 2025 Champions Trophy in Pakistan, Shahidi predicted the semifinalists: Afghanistan, India, England, and Australia, notably excluding Pakistan. This prompted the podcast host to mention Bangladesh’s recent Test series win over Pakistan, to which Shahidi calmly replied, “The formats are different; this is ODI, a different format.”

Shahidi also shared his all-time ODI World XI, showcasing his deep respect for cricket legends. His lineup included Saeed Anwar, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Kumar Sangakkara, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mahela Jayawardene, Rashid Latif, Andrew Flintoff, Rashid Khan, Waqar Younis, and Jasprit Bumrah, highlighting his appreciation for both past and present greats of the game.