Afghanistan's latest test of strength comes this Wednesday in a standalone Test match against the West Indies. Having secured two wins in their last three Test appearances, Afghanistan is now preparing to face the West Indies' spin specialists. The momentum is currently with Afghanistan's captain, Rashid, whose incredible 11-wicket haul against Bangladesh paved the way for a massive 224-run win. Rahmat Shah's standout century in the first innings further strengthens their position, and the team's success will largely hinge on how these two key players perform against the opposition.
Due to the absence of the experienced Nabi, Afghanistan is likely to integrate new faces into their spin attack, with Zahir, Amir, and Qais being the top candidates. Hamza is another strong contender for the squad, given his previous success in a practice match where he took 8 wickets against the West Indies. Meanwhile, the West Indies bring a formidable batting order that will be the primary focus of this encounter.
While this is the first time these two teams have ever faced off in a Test match, they have a recent history in shorter formats. The West Indies dominated the ODI series with a 3-0 whitewash, but Afghanistan had the last laugh in the T20Is, winning the series 2-1.