“Not just Bumrah”: Rahmanullah Gurbaz set to knock Indian bowlers out of the park in Super 8 match

Afghanistan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz has had a rollercoaster ICC T20 World Cup 2024 campaign so far. When he has found his rhythm, he has delivered match-winning blows, such as his 76 against Uganda and 80 against New Zealand in the group stages. However, he has also struggled in the last two games, being dismissed for 11 games and a duck against Papua New Guinea and West Indies respectively. Gurbaz remains Afghanistan’s most trusted striker and sits at the top of the rankings.

As Afghanistan reaches the Super 8 stage of the World Cup for the first time, Gurbaz will shoulder more responsibility. His first challenge will be a big one as Afghanistan takes on India in Barbados on Wednesday.

Gurbaz remains unfazed by the challenge of dealing with India’s formidable pace attack of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh and Hardik Pandya. In fact, he has promised to hit the ball out of the park if the Indian seamers ball into his zone.

“My focus is not only on Jasprit Bumrah. I plan to take shots at all five Indian bowlers. It is not just a fight against Bumrah; all other bowlers can take me out. If I get a chance, I will definitely go after Bumrah, but I am ready to take on Arshdeep, Siraj or any bowler I come across. My approach is to either score against them or risk being sacked. I am ready to be aggressive against the entire Indian bowling attack,” he noted.

“In the past, our goal was simply to participate in the World Cup. But this time our mentality has changed. We don’t just plan to compete, we’re determined to become champions. “While there is no pressure on us to win the title, we are taking it one match at a time and focusing on qualifying for the semi-finals and then the final,” he added.