EXCLUSIVE: When MS Dhoni jokingly asked Afghanistan player to lose 20 kg for an IPL contract

NEW DELHI: Former Afghanistan captain Mohammad Asghar Afghan still recalls the unforgettable tied match against Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led India in the 2018 Asia Cup. He threw the final over to his top spinner Rashid Khan to bowl against Ravindra Jadeja, and the result was a thrilling tie at the Dubai International Stadium.


Asghar, the most successful captain of the Afghanistan team from 2015 to 2021, credited BCCI and IPL for Afghanistan's rise in cricket. He also praised the IPL for its role in the improvement of their top spinners, Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and turning them into global cricketing sensations.

Afghanistan shed their 'minnows' tag in the recently-concluded ICC ODI World Cup 2023. Once regarded as underdogs, the Afghans went on to record four victories. Their outstanding performance earned them a prestigious sixth-place finish, guaranteeing their participation in the ICC Champions Trophy.



Their wins in the World Cup came against three former ODI champions England, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and over Bangladesh.

Asghar Afghan (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)

TimesofIndia.com caught up with Asghar, who played 6 Tests, 114 ODIs, and 75 T20Is for Afghanistan, and spoke about the World Cup and a host of other topics.

Afghanistan's performance was commendable in the World Cup. Do you think the team is slowly getting rid of the 'minnows' tag?

In 2015, when I became the captain, the team was in the rebuilding phase. We weren't performing the way we are today. We were under so much pressure. We just wanted to make our presence felt in front of the world. We are not financially strong. Initially, I didn't want to be the captain of the team but the former coaches like Kabir Khan and Rashid Latif convinced me to take up the captaincy role. It was a huge challenge as it was a new team and needed a lot of restructuring.

In T20Is, we used to get match fees of 50 dollars and in ODIs, it was 75 dollars. We didn't have money. I spoke to the cricket board and made a condition. We had to play five ODIs and three T20Is against Zimbabwe. The qualification for the ICC World Cup 2015 was also there. They said at least win an ODI and a T20I match vs Zimbabwe. I replied to them that we would not win the matches, we would win both the series (T20I and ODIs) vs Zimbabwe and we would qualify for the World Cup as well. They laughed at me.



They said a team that didn't win against the UAE or Hong Kong, how can it win a series against a team like Zimbabwe and qualify for the World Cup. I accepted that challenge. I said I will resign if I cannot do this. But I also put a condition. I said if I manage to do this, the board must increase the T20I match fee from 50 dollars to 1000 dollars and the ODI match fee from 75 dollars to 2000 dollars. The board agreed and we qualified for the World Cup too. Since then, there is no looking back for Afghanistan. We have stars and match winners.

How big a role has the BCCI played in Afghanistan cricket?
Honestly, BCCI has played a big role in Afghanistan's cricket development. They supported us a lot. Since 2014 till date, BCCI has been very supportive. We were given a home ground. Afghanistan loves cricket and its cricketers. I am requesting other cricket boards like England, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand to come forward and support Afghanistan cricket.

AFP Photo

How will you describe the rise of Rashid Khan?
He is one player who always tries to do something different every day. He is a superb learner, a great thinker, a fast learner and very hard-working. He played with me for some seven years. I have seen him grow. He has a lot of variations, and the capability of bowling six different deliveries in six balls. That's what makes Rashid a special talent. That's why he is the world's best. If I were the selector, I would have made him the captain in all formats. He is a role model, a gift to Afghanistan cricket.

What role has IPL played in the development of Afghanistan cricketers?
Mujeeb became a polished bowler after playing the IPL. He was a changed bowler after that. When he performed well in Under-19 cricket, especially in the World Cup, we directly picked him for the senior team. After that, he played the IPL and was a different bowler. IPL has helped him in taking his game to another level. His body language, analysis of the game and bowling in different situations - these things drastically changed in him after the IPL. IPL has played a big role in Rashid and Mujeeb's careers.

How was it like playing vs India?
The tied match of the 2018 Asia Cup was the best moment for me. That was the best match. Both Afghanistan and Indian fans were in tension. India needed seven runs to win in the last over and Afghanistan needed one wicket to win the match. Rashid bowled the last over. When three deliveries were remaining, Jadeja was on strike. Nabi and Rashid came and said, "Captain. bring all the players inside the circle or close to Jadeja". India needed 1 off two balls. I decided to place Najib (Najibullah Zadran) towards mid-on. I told Rashid to bowl leg break and Jadeja was out caught to Najib towards mid-wicket. Rashid was so happy, he hugged me. I knew Jadeja would make some room and (try to) smash the ball and would end up giving the catch. And he did the same. I will give credit to Rashid who bowled well and as per the plans.

Did you have any interactions with Indian players, especially the then-captain MS Dhoni?
After the tied match, I had a long chat with MS Dhoni. He is a superb captain and a god's gift to Indian cricket. He is a nice human being. We spoke about Mohammad Shahzad a lot. I told Dhoni bhai that Shahzad is your big fan. Dhoni said Shahzad has got a big tummy and if he loses 20 kg, I will pick him in the IPL. But when Shahzad returned to Afghanistan after the series, he gained 5 more kgs (laughs).





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