Afghanistan's Najibullah Zadran sets his IPL goals clear: Get picked by RCB, lift the title with Virat Kohli

The recent months have etched an unforgettable chapter in Afghanistan's cricketing history. Their 2023 ODI World Cup journey garnered widespread attention, marked by triumphant victories over cricket powerhouses such as England, arch-rivals Pakistan, Sri Lanka. Afghanistan clinched the highest number of wins by their team in a single World Cup campaign; however, the team was also part of a match that etched itself as one of the most memorable encounters in cricket history. The heartbreak from the match against Australia, where Glenn Maxwell's extraordinary 201* secured an incredible win in Mumbai, lingers on for the Afghan side. Najibullah Zadran had largely been on the sidelines during Afghanistan's historic campaign, but his role as a senior figure within the team remained indispensable. Currently a part of the Morrisville Samp Army in the Abu Dhabi T10 League, Zadran delves into the rollercoaster of emotions experienced in the Afghan dressing room during the World Cup.

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Zadran candidly discusses the intense moments following Glenn Maxwell's incrdible outing that shattered Afghanistan's hopes for a spot in the tournament's semifinals.

He also opens up on the pivotal decision to voluntarily step back from the playing XI after the initial two matches of the World Cup. With focus shifting to T20 cricket and the upcoming T20 World Cup, Zadran further shares his aspirations for a strong return to run-scoring prowess.

Excerpts:

Your team in Abu Dhabi T10 League, Morrisville Samp Army, is performing well so far. How are the preparations going on for the final leg?

The way Samp Army is playing, the way we have set our combinations, we have hopes that we reach the final and win the trophy. I am playing for the Samp Army for the first time, and it already feels like I'm a part of the family. The seniors are backing the juniors, and there is great team unity. Well, SAMP means Unity and the way the team culture and bonding is, it’s nothing short of unity of culture, talent and excellence and the team’s performance is testament of that spirit .

I come to T10 every year because I love playing in the short formats. Secondly, it is a very fast game. You have to be attacking from ball one. T10 is growing every year, and I love playing in this league.

Let's talk about the World Cup. Your team had a stellar campaign but that match against Australia… it must still hurt the side. Particularly because a semi-final berth was within grasps…

Yes, we are still pretty hurt about that, to be honest. The match was completely in our hands. It was just a matter of a single wicket. The way Maxi (Maxwell) played... it was unbelievable. I have never seen something like that. The way he battled injury and smashed a double century, and that too, against a world-class bowling lineup – We had Rashid, Nabi, and everyone else – We could have had a very easy chance at World Cup semi-final qualification if we had won the match against Australia. To be honest, we did try everything. We bowled outside the off-stump, he hit them. We bowled in the middle, he hit them as well. It was his day. He hit everything.

Everyone was pretty sad, but that's the part and parcel of the game. We can still be very happy with the way we played.

You played the first two matches against Bangladesh and India, but didn't take further part in the tournament. Why was that?

Honestly, I was not in form. I didn't play my best in the last series before the World Cup (against Pakistan) as well. So, I approached the coach myself and told him that I want to rest. I said, give the opportunities to youngsters instead. It is better for the team and better for me. I was sharing my experience from the bench, and helping the players on the field. In the end, what was the most important thing was that our team won matches.

In those opening games that you played in the World Cup, your teammate Naveen-ul-Haq was consistently greeted with Kohli-Kohli chants. Were there conversations about that in the dressing room?

No no. There was no discussion about that. Virat obviously has a great fan following in India. But Naveen said that he received similar treatment from fans in the IPL as well. He only focussed on his bowling. There was no conversation about it in the dressing room. What happened in the match, stayed on the field.

With focus shifting to T20s, what role do you see yourself playing for Afghanistan?

I have started practicing for T20s. I want to come back to form. I finished well in the last few matches in the Abu Dhabi T10 league. There is a series against UAE, then India. So, there is good match practice and I just want to keep up the good work.

We have seen Afghanistan batters adjusting to T20s really well. Last year, against Bangladesh, you smashed 6 sixes in a match where all other batters could hit a combined total of 1. What process do you follow to make sure you execute your power-hitting perfectly?

It is important to practice range-hitting for that. When we finish net sessions, we specifically train for boundaries. My position is 5-6 and my turn usually comes in the final overs. So, I usually train range-hitting. Because more often than not, there will be situations where I need to score at least 12-14 runs-per-over in those final overs. Maybe more than that. It is important to be prepared for that aspect.

As far as the team is concerned, we have been playing really well since last two years. We are already focussing on getting the best combinations set for the T20 World Cup.

IPL auction is coming up this month. If it were in your hands, which team would you like to play for?

Every player dreams of playing in the IPL. So is mine. I want to play for the Royal Challengers Bangalore. Virat Kohli hasn't won the IPL, and hopefully, this time, we win it.