:Asghar Afghan

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = Asghar Afghan
{{lang|ps|اصغر افغان}}

| image = Asghar Afghan.jpg

| caption = Afghan in 2020

| country = Afghanistan

| fullname = Mohammad Asghar Afghan

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1987|12|26|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Kabul, Afghanistan

| heightft =

| heightinch =

| heightm =

| batting = Right-handed

| bowling = Right-arm medium-fast

| role = Middle order batsman

| family = Karim Janat (brother)

| club1 = Amo Region

| year1 = 2017

| club2 = Kabul Eagles

| year2 = 2017

| international = true

| internationalspan = 2004–2021

| testdebutdate = 14 June

| testdebutyear = 2018

| testdebutagainst = India

| testcap = 2

| lasttestdate = 10 March

| lasttestyear = 2021

| lasttestagainst = Zimbabwe

| odidebutdate = 19 April

| odidebutyear = 2009

| odidebutagainst = Scotland

| odicap = 1

| lastodidate = 26 January

| lastodiyear = 2021

| lastodiagainst = Ireland

| odishirt = 44

| T20Idebutdate = 1 February

| T20Idebutyear = 2010

| T20Idebutagainst = Ireland

| T20Icap = 1

| lastT20Idate = 31 October

| lastT20Iyear = 2021

| lastT20Iagainst = Namibia

| T20Ishirt = 44

| columns = 4

| column1 = Test

| matches1 = 6

| runs1 = 440

| bat avg1 = 44.00

| 100s/50s1 = 1/3

| top score1 = 164

| deliveries1 = 18

| wickets1 = 0

| bowl avg1 = –

| fivefor1 = –

| tenfor1 = –

| best bowling1 = –

| catches/stumpings1 = 2/–

| column2 = ODI

| matches2 = 114

| runs2 = 2,424

| bat avg2 = 24.73

| 100s/50s2 = 1/12

| top score2 = 101

| deliveries2 = 139

| wickets2 = 3

| bowl avg2 = 30.33

| fivefor2 = 0

| tenfor2 = 0

| best bowling2 = 1/1

| catches/stumpings2 = 24/–

| column3 = T20I

| matches3 = 75

| runs3 = 1,382

| bat avg3 = 21.93

| 100s/50s3 = 0/4

| top score3 = 62

| deliveries3 = 4

| wickets3 = 1

| bowl avg3 = 4.00

| fivefor3 = 0

| tenfor3 = 0

| best bowling3 = 1/4

| catches/stumpings3 = 20/–

| column4 = FC

| matches4 = 29

| runs4 = 1,861

| bat avg4 = 44.30

| 100s/50s4 = 6/6

| top score4 = 164

| deliveries4 = 93

| wickets4 = 0

| bowl avg4 = –

| fivefor4 = –

| tenfor4 = –

| best bowling4 = –

| catches/stumpings4 = 17/–

| date = 21 July 2022

| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/afghanistan/content/player/320652.html Cricinfo

| module = {{Infobox medal templates | titlestyle = background-color: lightsteelblue; | expand=yes

| medals = {{MedalCountry| {{flag|Afghanistan|2004}}}}

}}

Mohammad Asghar Afghan ({{langx|ps|محمد اصغر افغان}}; born Mohammad Asghar Stanikzai) is an Afghan former cricketer who had captained the Afghanistan national cricket team. Asghar is a right-handed batsman and a medium-fast bowler. In May 2018, he was named as the captain of Afghanistan, for their inaugural Test match, against India.{{cite web |url=http://www.cricket.af/acb-news-info/559 |title=Afghanistan Squads for T20I Bangladesh Series and on-eoff India Test Announced |work=Afghanistan Cricket Board |access-date=29 May 2018 |archive-date=29 May 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180529204559/http://www.cricket.af/acb-news-info/559 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/1148128.html |title=Afghanistan pick four spinners for inaugural Test |access-date=29 May 2018 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo}} He made his Test debut, against India, on 14 June 2018.{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1133983.html |title=Only Test, Afghanistan tour of India at Bengaluru, Jun 14-18 2018 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=14 June 2018}} On 2 August 2018, he changed his last name from Stanikzai to Afghan.{{cite web |url=http://cricket.af/acb-news-info/641 |title=Captain Asghar changes surname to Afghan |access-date=20 August 2018 |work=Afghanistan Cricket Board |archive-date=24 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181224213710/https://cricket.af/acb-news-info/641%20 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=http://sport360.com/article/cricket/afghanistan/296579/afghanistan-captain-asghar-stanikzai-changes-his-name-to-asghar-afghan/ |title=Afghanistan captain Asghar Stanikzai changes his name to Asghar Afghan |access-date=20 August 2018 |work=Sport360}}

In April 2019, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) dropped him as captain of the Afghanistan team across all three formats.{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/1169014 |title=Asghar Afghan removed as Afghanistan announce split captaincy |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=5 April 2019}}{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/26445623/rahmat-rashid-given-leadership-roles-afghanistan-revamp |title=Rahmat, Rashid given leadership roles in Afghanistan revamp |publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=5 April 2019}} However, in December 2019, the ACB reappointed Asghar Stanikzai as the captain of the Afghanistan cricket team across all formats.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/28272671/asghar-afghan-reappointed-afghanistan-captain-formats |title=Asghar Afghan reappointed Afghanistan captain across formats |publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=11 December 2019}} In March 2021, during the series against Zimbabwe, Afghan played in his 50th T20I as Afghanistan's captain.{{cite web|url=https://www.indiafantasy.com/cricket/cricket-news/afg-vs-zim-stats-preview-1st-t20i-afghanistan-vs-zimbabwe/ |title=AFG vs ZIM Stats Preview 1st T20I Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe |work=India Fantasy |access-date=17 March 2021}} In May 2021, he was sacked as the national team captain.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/asghar-afghan-sacked-as-afghanistan-opt-for-split-captaincy-1264723 |title=Asghar Afghan sacked as Afghanistan opt for split captaincy |publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=31 May 2021}}

In October 2021, ahead of Afghanistan's match against Namibia in the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup, Afghan announced his retirement from all forms of cricket following the game.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/afg-vs-nam-asghar-afghan-to-retire-from-all-formats-after-t20-world-cup-game-against-namibia-1286235 |title=Asghar Afghan to retire from all formats after T20 World Cup game against Namibia |publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=31 October 2021}}

Early life

Afghan was born in 1987 in Kabul, Afghanistan.{{cite web |title=Asghar Afghan Profile |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/cricketers/asghar-afghan-320652 |website=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=14 January 2025}} He was a refugee in Peshawar, Pakistan, where he started playing cricket along with Mohammad Nabi, Dawlat Zadran, and Shapoor Zadran.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/sport/cricket/2023/nov/13/afghanistans-indomitable-spirit-2632474.html|title=Afghanistan’s indomitable spirit|website=The New Indian Express}}

Early career

Afghan made his representative international debut for Afghanistan U-17s in the 2004 ACC Under-17 competition, where he played his debut match against the United Arab Emirates Under-17s.[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/101/101646.html Afghanistan Under-17s v United Arab Emirates Under-17s (2004)] His debut match for the senior squad came against Oman[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/101/101533.html Afghanistan v Oman (2004)] in the 2004 ACC Trophy, as well as the 2006 ACC Trophy and the 2007 ACC Twenty20 Cup.

Afghan was a member of the Afghanistan side that, from 2008 to 2009, won the World Cricket League Division Five, Division Four and Division Three, earning them promotion to Division Two and allowing them to take part in the 2009 ICC World Cup Qualifier where they gained One Day International status.

In the World Cup Qualifier, Afghan made his List-A debut, against Bermuda[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/211/211228.html Afghanistan v Bermuda (2009)] and later in the tournament he made his One Day International debut against Scotland.[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/211/211269.html Afghanistan v Scotland (2009)] His first-class debut came in Intercontinental Cup against a Zimbabwe XI in a match that Afghanistan drew.[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/251/251274.html Zimbabwe XI v Afghanistan (2009)] Later, in November 2009 he was a member of Afghanistan's 2009 ACC Twenty20 Cup winning squad.

Rising career

Afghan made his Twenty20 International debut against Ireland in the 2010 Quadrangular Twenty20 Series in Sri Lanka.[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/267/267825.html Afghanistan v Ireland (2010)] Later on in February 2010, Afghan played a single match in Afghanistan's victorious 2010 ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier, playing in the final against Ireland.[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/259/259147.html Afghanistan v Ireland (2010)] Afghan was later named in Afghanistan's squad for the 2010 ICC World Twenty20.[http://www.cricinfo.com/wt202010/content/squad/454415.html ICC World Twenty20 Afghanistan squad]

In April 2010, Afghan was a key member of Afghanistan's 2010 ACC Trophy Elite winning squad which defeated Nepal in the final. Afghan ended the tournament as the third leading run scorer with 253 runs, including a score of 151 runs from 83 balls against Bhutan.[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/288/288609.html Afghanistan v Bhutan (2010)]

On 1 March 2014, Afghan's 90* helped Afghanistan win against Bangladesh which was their first win against a Test-playing nation. He and Samiullah Shenwari put on a 164 runs partnership for the sixth wicket which is the fifth highest Partnership for the sixth wicket in the history of ODIs and the third highest ODI Partnership for Afghanistan.

In February 2018, he had his appendix removed, therefore missing the start of the 2018 Cricket World Cup Qualifier tournament.{{Cite web |url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/629599 |title=Asghar Afghan to miss start of CWCQ campaign |access-date=26 February 2018 |work=International Cricket Council}}

In September 2018, he was named in Kandahar's squad in the first edition of the Afghanistan Premier League tournament.{{cite web|url=https://www.crictracker.com/afghanistan-premier-league-2018-all-you-need-to-know-from-the-player-draft/ |title=Afghanistan Premier League 2018 – All you need to know from the player draft |work=CricTracker |access-date=10 September 2018}} He was the leading run-scorer for the Kandahar Knights in the tournament, with 264 runs in eight matches.{{cite web|url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/averages/batting_bowling_by_team.html?id=12657;team=6572;type=tournament |title=Afghanistan Premier League, 2018/19 – Kandahar Knights: Batting and bowling averages |publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=18 October 2018}}

In April 2019, he was named in Afghanistan's squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup.{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/1181690.html |title=Hamid Hassan picked in Afghanistan's World Cup squad; Naib to captain |publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=22 April 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/1194077 |title=Asghar Afghan included in Gulbadin Naib-led World Cup squad |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=22 April 2019}} The following month, in the ODI series against Scotland, he became the second cricketer for Afghanistan to play in 100 ODI matches.{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/1211924 |title=Afghanistan regroup under new leadership with eye on World Cup |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=10 May 2019}} In September 2021, he was named in Afghanistan's squad for the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.{{cite web|url=https://cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/118972/rashid-khan-steps-down-as-afghanistan-captain-over-team-selection |title=Rashid Khan steps down as Afghanistan captain over team selection|work=Cricbuzz |access-date=9 September 2021}} Afghan announced his retirement from international cricket mid-way through the tournament, playing his final match against Namibia. He later explained that their loss against Pakistan made him decide that the time was right to retire as the team was too hurt and he wanted to give younger players a chance.{{Cite web |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/afg-vs-nam-asghar-afghan-to-retire-from-all-formats-after-t20-world-cup-game-against-namibia-1286235 |title=Asghar Afghan to retire from all formats after T20 World Cup game against Namibia |date=30 October 2021 |access-date=27 August 2023 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/2318707/amp |title=Emotional Asghar Afghan explains retirement decision after illustrious career |date=31 October 2021 |access-date=27 August 2023 |work=International Cricket Council}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.thehindu.com/sport/cricket/loss-against-pakistan-forced-me-to-retire-asghar-afghan/article37273488.ece |title=Loss against Pakistan forced me to retire: Asghar Afghan |date=31 October 2021 |access-date=27 August 2023 |work=The Hindu}}