Rashid, Nabi motivating Afghanistan at Under-19 World Cup
Afghanistan's best players are in contact with their current crop of Under-19 stars who are still unbeaten at the Men's Under-19 World Cup.
In-form bowler Wahidullah Zadran has revealed the level of support his side is receiving from Afghanistan's senior side at the ICC Under-19 Men's Cricket World Cup.
Afghanistan made it three wins from as many matches at the Under 19 World Cup with an emphatic nine-wicket triumph over Tanzania in Windhoek on Wednesday as the side readies itself for sterner tests during the upcoming Super Six phase of the tournament.
The Afghanistan juggernaut rolls on | Match Highlights | U19 CWC 2026
No stopping Afghanistan as they make it three in three games in the ICC Under-19 Men's Cricket World Cup 2026.
But confidence is high within the Afghanistan camp, with Zadran revealing his coaching staff and teammates have been in regular contact with the senior players who themselves are preparing hard for the upcoming ICC Men's T20 World Cup that commences in India and Sri Lanka on February 7.
"They are giving us lots of energy because they are messaging our head coach (Raees Ahmadzai)," Zadran said
"Like Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi, they are superstars you know and they are telling the boys that they are doing well and that the nation is with us.
"So we will try our best for the next matches which is very top time ahead of us."
Afghanistan have some time off before their next scheduled fixture, with their upcoming appearance at the tournament to come on January 26, also in Windhoek, when they face their first of two opponents in the Super Six phase as they attempt to qualify for the knockout stages of the event.
Fourth (2018 and 2022) is the highest Afghanistan have ever finished at a Men's Under 19 World Cup and Zadran believes the side is well placed to improve on that this time around.
"I told you on the first day in a headshot that we are not here to just participate," Zadran told West Indies great Ian Bishop.
"I said we will be in the semi-final and we will be in the final, but (for now) we are looking first to the next Super Six match which is very important for us.
"Everyone is happy because we have won all three of our matches that were against top teams as in the World Cup every team is very top team, so we are really happy now and we are looking forward."
Nooristani's inspirational spell | U19 CWC 2026
Nooristani's 5/9 ran through the Tanzania batting in the ICC Under-19 Men's Cricket World Cup 2026.