Following a 30-run defeat at the hands of the West Indies in the first T20I, Afghanistan was buried by many—given that it was their fourth loss on this tour. The Rashid Khan-led side, though, rose from the dead to complete a 2-1 series comeback win, taking their streak of bilateral T20I series victories to five. The West Indies, on the other hand, were doomed to their third consecutive T20I series defeat.

Here’s what we learnt from the three-match series:

1. Afghanistan is currently in a better (T20) position than the West Indies;

Prior to the start of this series, with the current assignment for the West Indies being World Cup preparations, (it was known that) every game contested would be ticked off as ‘things learnt’ for the new backroom staff. And an unfavourable result against an Afghanistan side, on the rise, with the number 1 ranked T20 all-rounder and bowler in Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan within their ranks, along with the number 6 ranked batsman in the same format in Hazratullah Zazai in their line-up, does not change that fact.

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Things we learned?

1 - Shai Hope needs to play all 3 formats consistently. He may not necessarily need to keep in all of them, but he needs to play

Things we already knew?

1 - Our batting susceptible to spin bowling in particular is an ongoing issue
2 - Pollard needs to contribute much more with the bat
3 - Our bowling attack needs quality spin options
4 - Our fielding needs work

In reply to imusic

I did not learn anything I did not already know, however I would suggest

1. Keep Hety, Holder n Hope away from T20, let them focus on ODI and Tests
2. Encourage more T20 specialists like Fletcher, Charles, Bravo etc., to play
3. Encourage as many young batsmen to play 4 day and super 50, they will become better T 20 batsmen
4. Reclaim past players like Foo, Barnwell,Santokie who might be still young enough

Cricket is a grown man's game

In reply to Baje

Why?

On a practical note, why are you limiting a olayer’s Opportunity to earn?

Especially when cricket is their only source of income.

Especially when the board faces stiff competition from t20 leagues the world over and players deciding to play in those leagues, sometimes at the expense of representing the WI? You want to exacerbate the situation?

For what? So the players could concentrate on playing the.so called “higher forms” of the game? The form of the game that is the most lucrative?

If that’s the case, you better be in a similar financial standing of boards like the BCCi and the ECB who can afford to pay their players compensation to NOT play in those leagues.

And if you’re suggesting that playing T20 cricket somehow negatively impacts performance in Test and ODI, how do you explain Holders Test stars and Hope’s ODI stats?

In reply to imusic
1. I believe that at this stage batting in all 3 formats will be detrimental and eventually they will be good at no format.
2. I support the right of every cricketer to maximize their earnings

In reply to Baje

Based on what exactly? Hard evidence? Gut feeling?


You realize that your statement in #1 contradicts your statement in #2?

Discourage the writing off of other teams as "minnows."


Minnows R us.


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In reply to imusic
It is gut feeling

Believing that it is bad for their careers doesn't mean that if they wanted to play all 3 formats that I would prevent them. I would certainly encourage them to develop their game further

Pollard still celebrating the series win against the mighty Afghanistan?

In reply to Ewart

Good luck with that. Old habits die hard here and elsewhere.