Rizwan and Irfan both suffered hamstring injuries in the third match in Rawalpindi, where a second-string New Zealand side won by seven wickets to level the five-match series 1-1
India's Karthik praises Afghanistan's beautiful journey
India wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik has praised Afghanistan's rise to the top of the sport under tough circumstances, saying it was an honour to face the South Asian nation in their landmark first Test starting on Thursday.
Published : 12 June 2018, 05:05 PM
Updated : 12 June 2018, 05:25 PM
Afghanistan will play India, the top-ranked Test nation, after becoming full members of the International Cricket Council (ICC) last year.
They are coming off a commanding Twenty20 series win over Bangladesh this month and Karthik paid tribute to their inspiring journey.
"It's been beautiful," Karthik told reporters on Tuesday.
"Their journey has been an inspiration for international cricket. Not many knew they play... We all know what a tough place it is and the kind of turmoil they go through and despite that, they are able to inspire people with their performances."
RELATED STORIES
He looks certain to be named in Australia's squad for the World Cup in West Indies and the United States
He was India captain Rohit Sharma's opening partner in the home T20 series against Afghanistan earlier this year but his place looked under threat as he struggled for runs in the IPL
The batting bias of cricket's shortest format is evident in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL), where 200-plus scores have become a routine and 300 does not look impossible anymore
