Mumbai

Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan on Thursday said teams should place greater faith in preparation and skill rather than attaching undue importance to the toss, arguing that over-reliance on the flip of a coin undermines the essence of the game.

Speaking at the Captains’ Press Conference ahead of the tournament, Rashid stressed that disciplined training and execution, not match-day luck, ultimately decide results. He also dismissed suggestions that Afghanistan enjoy a special edge due to their players’ familiarity with Indian conditions through the Indian Premier League.

“Over the last four or five years, I have noticed that many players decide the outcome of a match based on the toss. There is this belief that winning the toss means winning the game, and that takes skill out of cricket,” Rashid said.

He underlined that Afghanistan’s squad places strong emphasis on preparation, often training for three to four hours a day, a culture he believes is central to their progress.

“We practice a lot, but some people don’t trust that hard work. I do. I believe in preparation rather than the toss, and that is more important than anything else,” he said.

Explaining his point further, Rashid said quality execution leaves little room for chance. “If you bowl a perfect yorker, no batter in the world can hit it for six. If you keep hitting the stumps in the right areas, you won’t concede four or five sixes in an over. That’s how you get results,” he added.

While Afghanistan are known for their potent spin attack, Rashid said the team does not enjoy a unique advantage, even in spin-friendly conditions.

“There is some advantage, of course, but players from all teams have been playing in the IPL for many years and are familiar with conditions here. So I don’t think Afghanistan has more advantage than anyone else,” he said.

South Africa captain Aiden Markram, reflecting on his team’s loss to India in the 2024 edition, said the setback no longer weighs on the squad.

“That was two years ago. We’ve played a lot of cricket since then,” Markram said, adding that every captain and team entering the competition shares the same ambition.

“You have to earn the right to lift the trophy by performing in the group stage and then consistently playing good cricket. In this format, any team can beat any other team. We are motivated to win, but not only because of what happened in 2024,” he said.

England skipper Harry Brook said his side was deliberately avoiding the pressure of being labelled title favourites.

“From the beginning, we’ve said we’ll take it one game at a time and stay in the moment,” Brook said. “We’re confident and we want to go all the way, but we need to stick to our plans and play our brand of cricket.”

West Indies captain Shai Hope said his team is eager to reconnect with fans after past successes in the tournament.

“Every time you step onto the field, you represent the people of the West Indies,” Hope said. “The goal is always to win. Fans back home stay awake till three or four in the morning to watch us, and we want to give them reasons to smile.”

Namibia skipper Gerhard Erasmus highlighted the influence of former South Africa cricketer and India’s 2011 World Cup-winning coach Gary Kirsten on his team.

“Gary brings enormous experience from world cricket, both as a player and a coach,” Erasmus said. “Wherever we go, people want selfies with him. Beyond his tactical input, he’s a wonderful human being to have in the group.”

Canada captain Dilpreet Bajwa said a preparatory tour of Sri Lanka had helped his side adapt ahead of the tournament.

READ MORE: Indian Muslims are not tenants, they are landlords: Indresh Kumar

“Most of our players are based in India, and it’s difficult to train regularly in Canadian conditions,” Bajwa said. “Thanks to our board, we had a pre-tournament camp in Sri Lanka where we tested our combinations. As a captain, I feel we are well prepared.”