West Indies Cricket Team vs Afghanistan National Cricket Team Timeline

Introduction: An Emerging Cricket Rivalry

The cricketing rivalry between the West Indies and Afghanistan represents a fascinating clash of styles and cricketing cultures. On one side stands the West Indies - once the undisputed kings of world cricket, now a team in transition but still possessing formidable talent. On the other is Afghanistan - cricket's fastest-rising nation, whose journey from refugee camps to Test status is one of sport's most inspiring stories.

This comprehensive 1000-word article traces their complete head-to-head history across all formats, analyzes key matches and performances, and examines how this rivalry has evolved since their first meeting in 2016.

Complete Head-to-Head Record (2016-2024)

Format Matches WI Wins AFG Wins Tied/NR

Test Matches 1 1 0 0

ODIs 8 5 3 0

T20Is 7 4 3 0

Total 16 10 6 0

Phase 1: Early Encounters (2016-2017)

The First Meeting: 2016 T20 World Cup

The rivalry began dramatically at the 2016 T20 World Cup in Nagpur, where Afghanistan pulled off one of the tournament's biggest upsets. Defending just 123/7, their spinners strangled the West Indies batting, restricting them to 117/8. Nabi (2/26) and Rashid (2/26) were instrumental in this 6-run victory that announced Afghanistan as serious competitors.

2017 ODI Series in Caribbean

West Indies hosted Afghanistan for a 3-match ODI series in June 2017, winning convincingly:

1st ODI: WI won by 4 wickets (AFG 212, WI 213/6)

2nd ODI: WI won by 7 wickets (AFG 135, WI 136/3)

3rd ODI: WI won by 5 wickets (AFG 149, WI 153/5)

The series highlighted Afghanistan's struggles against pace on bouncy Caribbean pitches, with Shannon Gabriel (8 wickets in series) proving particularly lethal.

Phase 2: Afghanistan's Coming of Age (2019)

Historic Test Match (November 2019)

The only Test between the nations was played in Lucknow, India:

1st Innings: AFG 187 (Rahmat 51, Chase 5/37)

2nd Innings: WI 277 (Hope 52, Chase 54)

3rd Innings: AFG 120 (Chase 5/45)

4th Innings: WI 33/1

Roston Chase's 10-wicket match haul secured a comprehensive 9-wicket victory for West Indies, exposing Afghanistan's inexperience in the longest format.

Limited-Overs Breakthroughs

Later that November, Afghanistan hosted WI in India for ODIs and T20Is:

ODI Series (2-1 to AFG)

1st ODI: AFG won by 41 runs (AFG 249/7, WI 208)

2nd ODI: AFG won by 9 wkts (WI 200, AFG 201/1)

3rd ODI: WI won by 5 wkts (AFG 249, WI 253/5)

T20I Series (2-1 to WI)

1st T20I: WI won by 30 runs (WI 164/5, AFG 134/9)

2nd T20I: WI won by 4 wkts (AFG 147/7, WI 148/6)

3rd T20I: AFG won by 29 runs (AFG 156/8, WI 127)

This period marked Afghanistan's first ODI series win against a Full Member nation, showcasing their growing prowess.

Phase 3: Modern Battles (2021-Present)

2021 T20 World Cup Clash

In Abu Dhabi, West Indies prevailed by 5 wickets:

AFG 144/7 (Najibullah 56)

WI 148/5 (Pooran 40, Russell 18)

The match was closer than expected, with Afghanistan's spinners causing problems before West Indies' experience prevailed.

2022 T20I Series

Afghanistan toured the Caribbean in June 2022:

1st T20I: AFG won by 6 wkts (WI 164/5, AFG 168/4)

2nd T20I: WI won by 6 wkts (AFG 134, WI 138/4)

2023 Limited-Overs Series

Their most recent encounters came in June 2023 in UAE and West Indies:

ODIs (1-1 Draw)

1st ODI: AFG won by 7 wkts (WI 188, AFG 190/3)

2nd ODI: WI won by 5 wkts (AFG 228, WI 229/5)

T20Is (1-1 Draw)

1st T20I: WI won by 6 wkts (AFG 134, WI 138/4)

2nd T20I: AFG won by 9 wkts (WI 138, AFG 141/1)

Key Rivalry Themes

1. Spin vs Power-Hitting

Afghanistan's world-class spin trio (Rashid, Nabi, Mujeeb) versus West Indies' explosive batting (Russell, Pooran, Hetmyer) creates fascinating contests.

2. Pitch Conditions Matter

In Asia/UAE: Afghanistan's spinners dominate

In Caribbean: West Indies' pace and power prevails

3. Afghanistan's Rapid Improvement

From being whitewashed in 2017 to competitive series in 2019 and 2023 shows their remarkable development.

Player Battles to Watch

Rashid Khan vs Nicholas Pooran

Rashid has dismissed Pooran 3 times in 7 meetings

Economy rate: 5.8 against Pooran

Mujeeb Ur Rahman vs Shai Hope

Mujeeb has troubled Hope in ODIs

Dismissed him twice in 5 innings

Alzarri Joseph vs Rahmanullah Gurbaz

Joseph's pace has tested Gurbaz early in innings

Memorable Performances

Rahmat Shah's 86 (2019 ODI)*

Anchored Afghanistan's 9-wicket win

Roston Chase's 10/121 (2019 Test)

Best bowling figures in WI-AFG matches

Shai Hope's 109 (2023 ODI)*

Masterclass in chasing under pressure

Rahmanullah Gurbaz's 80 (2023 ODI)

Dominant batting display in Sharjah

Future of the Rivalry

With both teams improving, future contests promise more excitement:

2024 T20 World Cup potential meeting

Possible multi-format bilateral series

Afghanistan's Test team gaining experience

Conclusion: A Rivalry Coming of Age

What began as a mismatch in 2016 has evolved into one of cricket's most intriguing emerging rivalries. Afghanistan's spin mastery against West Indies' power-hitting creates compelling contests that often defy predictions. As Afghanistan continues to develop and West Indies rebuild, this matchup will only grow in significance on the world stage.

Their contrasting styles - Afghanistan's disciplined spin attack versus West Indies' explosive batting - make every encounter unpredictable. With both teams eyeing improvement in ICC rankings, future West Indies vs Afghanistan matches will carry even greater importance in the cricket calendar.