Farooqi jumps off the IPL bench to headline Afghanistan's dreamy start

Fazalhaq Farooqi spent all of IPL 2024 on the bench at Sunrisers Hyderabad waiting for an opportunity that wasn't forthcoming in a settled unit that went all the way to the final. But most of that time on the sidelines was spent honing his craft for the next assignment. If there were concerns of rust, the 23-year-old has scattered them emphatically through the first three games of the T20 World Cup.

That Afghanistan have progressed out of a tricky Group C - at the expense of New Zealand - is down in large part to the performances of their pace ace, who has a chart-leading 12 wickets from three matches at an average of 3.50 and an economy of 3.70. "Unfortunately I didn't get any chance to play in the IPL but I was working on my skill, to improve my skill to do better for Afghanistan. I just try to give my hundred percent and just back my skill," Farooqi said after returning figures of 3 for 16 in