Date: Saturday, November 8, 2025
Time: 7:30 PM Local (2:30 PM GMT)
Venue: West End Park International Cricket Stadium, Doha, Qatar
Format: 1st T20I of 3-match series
Toss: To be announced
A Historic Moment for Qatar Cricket
This series marks a special moment in cricket history. Qatar is hosting its first bilateral series against a full Test-playing nation, bringing world-class cricket to Doha. For Qatar, ranked 29th in ICC T20I standings, this is a golden chance to learn from one of cricket’s rising powers.
Afghanistan ranks among the top 10 T20I teams and can beat any team on their day. They reached the semi-finals of the 2024 T20 World Cup and have shown consistent growth in recent years.
Expected Playing XIs
Qatar (Likely XI)
Source: Outlook India squad announcement
- Muhammad Ikramullah
- Muhammad Tanveer (Top scorer – 282 runs in last year)
- Imal Liyanage (WK) (372 runs in last year)
- Zubair Ali
- Mohammad Ahnaf
- Mirza Mohammed Baig
- Shariq Munir
- Saqlain Arshad (WK)
- Amir Farooq (11 wickets in last year)
- Muhammad Murad
- Ikramullah Khan (15 wickets in last year)
Note: Final XI not confirmed. Lineup based on squad announcement and recent form.
Afghanistan (Likely XI)
Source: Outlook India squad announcement
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK)
- Sediqullah Atal
- Ibrahim Zadran
- Darwish Rasooli
- Azmatullah Omarzai
- Mohammad Nabi
- Shahidullah
- Rashid Khan (C)
- Mujeeb Ur Rahman
- Fareed Ahmad
- Noor Ahmad
Note: Final XI not confirmed. Lineup based on squad announcement.
Venue and Conditions
West End Park International Cricket Stadium opened in 2013 and can seat 13,000 fans. Based on 19 T20I games played here, teams batting second have won 12 times while teams defending totals have won only 6 times. The pitch usually favors chasing.
The pitch offers good bounce for fast bowlers early in the match, but spinners become important as the game goes on.
Weather: November in Doha brings pleasant temperatures around 29°C during the day, falling to 24°C at night, with almost no chance of rain. Perfect conditions for cricket!
Average T20I Score: 151 runs at this venue
Players to Watch
| Batters | Team | Why Watch Them |
|---|---|---|
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz | Afghanistan | Dynamic opener, powerful striker |
| Ibrahim Zadran | Afghanistan | Solid top-order bat with experience |
| Muhammad Tanveer | Qatar | Qatar’s most experienced batter |
| Imal Liyanage | Qatar | Top scorer for Qatar in past year |
| Mohammad Nabi | Afghanistan | All-rounder with vast experience |
| Bowlers | Team | Why Watch Them |
|---|---|---|
| Rashid Khan | Afghanistan | World’s best T20 spinner, captain |
| Mujeeb Ur Rahman | Afghanistan | Mystery spinner, very economical |
| Amir Farooq | Qatar | Qatar’s leading wicket-taker |
| Fareed Ahmad | Afghanistan | Quick pacer with good pace |
| Ikramullah Khan | Qatar | 15 wickets in last year for Qatar |
Team Form and Context
Afghanistan arrives as heavy favorites. Rashid Khan leads the T20I side, and the team has quality players across all departments. They recently played well in various tournaments and have match-winners in batting and bowling.
Qatar showed fighting spirit in recent matches. They secured a narrow victory over Kenya (243-242) at the 2025 ICC Men’s World Cup Challenge League. While they face a tough challenge, home conditions give them confidence.
What to Expect
This match promises to be one-sided on paper, but cricket can surprise us. Afghanistan will look to dominate and give their young players match practice. Qatar will fight hard to make their fans proud and learn from playing world-class opposition.
Given the dynamic nature of T20 cricket and the advantage of playing at home, Qatar have something to hold on to despite being clear underdogs.
Key Battle: Afghanistan’s spin trio (Rashid, Mujeeb, Noor) versus Qatar’s batters. How Qatar handles world-class spin will decide their competitiveness.
Prediction
Afghanistan to win
While Qatar will give their best effort, Afghanistan’s quality and experience should prove too strong. Expect Afghanistan to win comfortably, but watch for Qatar to show fighting spirit in patches.
Likely Match-Winner: Rashid Khan is always a strong candidate with both bat and ball.
Where to Watch
Check local broadcasters for coverage. The match starts at 7:30 PM local time (2:30 PM GMT) on November 8, 2025.
Remaining Matches:
- 2nd T20I: November 9, 2025
- 3rd T20I: November 11, 2025
Both at West End Park, Doha.