Afghanistan unveil new jersey ahead of ICC Champions Trophy: Details
What's the story
Afghanistan have unveiled their new jersey for the upcoming 2025 Champions Trophy. The jersey's design pays homage to Afghanistan's rich cultural heritage, incorporating elements of Naskh calligraphy and geometric patterns inspired by Ghor Province's Jam Minaret. Meanwhile, the official social media handles of the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) shared a video of skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi, Rahmat Shah, and other players wearing the new jersey. Here's more.
Design inspiration
Jersey design inspired by Afghanistan's cultural heritage
The jersey is a unique fusion of tradition and modernity, reflecting Afghanistan's rich cultural heritage on an international platform. Meanwhile, the jersey's design seamlessly combines Naskh calligraphy with the geometric patterns of Ghor Province's Jam Minaret. This architectural wonder, located along the Harirod River in Firuzkuh, has stood for nearly 800 years. Notably, it reaches a height of 65 meters and has a diameter of nine meters.
Cricket journey
Afghanistan's impressive journey in international cricket
Notably, the 2025 Champions Trophy will be Afghanistan's first appearance in the tournament. The team has come a long way in the last two years. In the ODI World Cup 2023, they began their campaign with wins against England, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. Notably, they also made it to the semi-finals of last year's Men's T20 World Cup by defeating Australia.
Recent victories
Afghanistan's recent achievements and player performances
Apart from their World Cup successes, Afghanistan also won a bilateral ODI series against South Africa and Bangladesh last year in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Recently, Shahidi and Rahmat scored double centuries in a Test series against Zimbabwe. These achievements highlight the team's growing stature in international cricket as they gear up for their debut at the Champions Trophy 2025.
Player performance
Azmatullah Omarzai's stellar performance in international cricket
Gujarat Titans's Azmatullah Omarzai was named the ICC Men's ODI Cricketer of the Year. He started the year with an unbeaten 149 against Sri Lanka in Pallekele and continued to impress with solid performances against South Africa and Bangladesh. Additionally, his exceptional wicket-taking ability also ranked him among the top 10 for the year, further highlighting Afghanistan's rising prominence in international cricket.
Squad and schedule
A look at Afghnistan's CT squad and schedule
Here is Afghanistan's 15 squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Rahmat Shah (VC), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Ikram Alikhil (WK), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, AM Ghazanfar, Noor Ahmad, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Naveed Zadran and Farid Ahmad Malik. Afghanistan are in Group B alongside Australia, England, and South Africa. They open their campaign against South Africa (February 21). Afghanistan then lock horns with England (February 26), and finish their group-stage fixtures against Australia ( February 28).
Twitter Post
The ACB's video revealing their jersey
𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐟𝐠𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧'𝐬 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐉𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐂𝐂 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓! 👕
— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) January 30, 2025
Inspired by our rich cultural heritage, the jersey design beautifully blends the elegance of Naskh calligraphy with the geometric… pic.twitter.com/RHOcpxyEuW