India best team not just in Asia but globally: Afghanistan all-rounder Gulbadin Naib

Dubai: Afghanistan all-rounder Gulbadin Naib has showered praise on Team India, describing them as the top side not just in Asia, but globally. Having shared dressing rooms with Indian players during his stint in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Naib said he has always enjoyed learning from them.

“India is the best team in Asia and in the world. You learn a lot from these boys,” Naib told ANI. “I’ve shared the dressing room with them in the IPL, and in every game we’ve played against them, it’s been a great experience. In T20 cricket, it’s hard to pick favourites — any team can win on the day. But on paper, India is clearly the strongest,” he added.

Naib, who was part of the Delhi Capitals in the IPL, has featured in two matches for the franchise.

Speaking about the unpredictable nature of T20 cricket, Naib emphasised that a single player can change the outcome of a match. “In T20s, one player can turn the game around — be it from the top order, middle order, lower order, or even a spinner. On their day, anyone can take the game away,” he explained.

Calling T20 cricket a form of “pure entertainment,” he said, “T20 is entertainment cricket. Everyone wants to do something special for their country.”

Meanwhile, in a thrilling Asia Cup clash in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, Bangladesh edged past Afghanistan with an eight-run win, thanks to an impressive spin performance and clinical death bowling by Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman.

With this victory, Bangladesh moved to second in the group with two wins and one loss (4 points). Sri Lanka leads the group with two wins from two matches, while Afghanistan remains third with one win and one loss. The outcome of the final Group B match between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka will be crucial — if Afghanistan wins, all three teams will be tied on two wins each, and net run rate will determine who advances.