Afghanistan may have graduated from being one of the associates to now a country with Test status but its mainstay leg-spinner Rashid Khan still feels for his brethren amidst the emerging nations, who couldn't give an account of how far they've come at this year's World Cup in UK after the ICC decided to limit the number of participants at the quadrennial event to just ten. 

While it is highly likely that the financial objectives will once again prevail over cricketing ambitions in 2023, Rashid thinks there should "definitely" be more teams featuring at the World Cup as it remains one of the key tools for the growth of our sport beyond the traditional boundaries. 

"That is something which makes the competition very interesting. All those teams come and if they start doing well against the big teams… we have seen in the past that Associate members come and they can beat the full members too, like Ireland have beaten England. That happens," Rashid told ESPNcricinfo in an interview. 

"The Associates can deliver that performance. They have been working hard and they're always wishing and wanting to play the World Cup. So definitely, I would love to see all the associate teams contributing in the World Cup."

"That gives them the best opportunity to see how much more hard work is required to improve their skills and their cricket. That will help their country's cricket as well."

Afghanistan in its second-ever World Cup gave India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka a run for their money but ended with the wooden spooner tag following nine straight losses. And Rashid, who was recently appointed captain across all formats, reiterated key for a better future is for the emerging nation to play more games between such events against the major forces.

"Lots of things need to be done. Being a leader, from here we have to take steps. We have seen the World Cup, we have seen the oppositions and what should be the proper preparation for them, and we have to be very strong mentally. We have to be fully fit for such competitions and we have to be well prepared. We need to achieve these things."

"We are not playing with Associate teams right now, we are playing with the Full Members, so we have to be well planned and prepared."

"The most important thing is fitness, we have to be very fit. These are the things we need to improve on in upcoming years to be a better side, a side that can beat any team. We have the talent, we have the skills. We just need to bring improvement in that," he concluded.