"The best spin attack of the tournament" - Aakash Chopra on Afghanistan's strengths ahead of Champions Trophy 2025

Former India player Aakash Chopra has picked Afghanistan's spin attack as their biggest strength heading into the Champions Trophy 2025. He pointed out that the Asian team will likely field four potent spinners in their playing XI.

The Champions Trophy 2025 will be played in Pakistan and Dubai from February 19 onwards. Afghanistan, who are placed in Group B alongside Australia, England and South Africa, will play all their group games in Pakistan.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener noted that Afghanistan have a formidable spin-bowling lineup.

"What are Afghanistan's strengths? Firstly, the best spin attack of the tournament. It's not that we (India) are not taking spin. We have also kept four spinners, which includes three fingers and Kuldeep Yadav, in our provisional squad. However, I am saying ours is not the best. Theirs is the best," he said (6:00).

Chopra added that the presence of Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Allah Ghazanfar and Mohammad Nabi will allow Afghanistan to bowl 40 overs of spin.

"They have Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Allah Ghazanfar and Mohammad Nabi. Now tell me whose is better. We pick bowlers who also bat well, barring Kuldeep Yadav. They have one better than the other. They can bowl 40 overs of spin. They will make the opposition surrender even if there is slight help for spin from the pitch," he observed.

Rashid has picked up 198 wickets at an economy rate of 4.20 in 104 ODI innings. While Nabi has accounted for 172 dismissals at an economy rate of 4.27 in 161 ODI innings, Ghazanfar and Noor have snared 30 wickets between them in the longer white-ball format.

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"They have a lot of all-rounders" - Aakash Chopra on Afghanistan's other strength ahead of Champions Trophy 2025

Azmatullah Omarzai is one of the premier all-rounders in Afghanistan's lineup. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra picked the presence of a plethora of all-rounders as Afghanistan's other strength heading into the Champions Trophy 2025.

"After that, they have a lot of all-rounders. Some people say they are bits and pieces, but the truth is that Azmatullah Omarzai is a proper batter, Gulbadin Naib does proper batting and bowls, Mohammad Nabi is a proper batter and bowler, Rahmanullah Gurbaz is a wicketkeeper-batter, and Rashid Khan bats decently," he said (6:45).

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that the conditions in Pakistan will suit the Afghanistan all-rounders.

"This team has the might if you see it from the all-rounders' perspective. I think they have some decent all-rounders, who are especially good for these conditions. At times, subcontinental all-rounders are good for those conditions but you feel they are not the same all-rounders in Australia and England. It's not the case with them," Chopra observed.

Aakash Chopra noted that Afghanistan can't be considered pushovers as they are known for beating big teams in ICC events. He added that Hashmatullah Shahidi and company aren't scared of anyone and make the opposition feel the pressure.