Time to give Afghan cricketers a real helping hand after sensational win over the Irish
Last updated 4/12/2009 12:26:28 PM
Afghanistan sensational win over Ireland
If the British government really wants to help Afghanistan they should start putting some of our money into cricket and football as well as arms.
They say they want the Afghans to help themselves and that is just what they are doing in the ICC Cup in South Africa where they followed up their success in qualifying for the Super Eight competition by beating favourites Ireland by 22 runs in their opening game.
Ireland, previously the only team with a 100% record, were bowled out for 186 chasing Afghanistan's total of 218-7.
THE RESULT SHOULD NOT BE UNDERESTIMATED AND IT IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST UPSETS IN THE HISTORY OF THE GAME FOR THE IRISH HAVE SHOWN THEMSELVES CAPABLE OF GIVING TOP TEST SIDES A RUN FOR THEIR MONEY IN THE LIMITED OVER GAME.
They showed their immense potential when Rais Ahmadzai scored an unbeaten 50 against the surprised and eventually embarrassed Irish side who had Andrew White as the pick of their bowlers with 2-27.
White with 56 and Kevin O'Brien (52) were Ireland's top scorers. They came together with their side in serious trouble at 73-5 and put on 113 for the sixth wicket before paceman Hamid Hassan cleaned up the tail with 5-23 with the last five Irish wickets falling for just 10 runs to the 21-year-old Hassan, who became the first Afghan cricketer to play at Lord's when he represented MCC in 2007, ran through the lower order after taking the wickets of the two top scorers.
Earlier, Asghar Stanikzai (47) and Mohammad Shehzad (46) had supported Ahmadzai well in the Afghan innings.
It was a stunning victory for Afghanistan, whose two previous victories in the Qualifier had come against Bermuda and Denmark, who were eliminated after the first phase.
They were not expected to win another game but, in true tradition of every optimist, they continued their progress which began long ago in Jersey when they unexpectedly came through the first of four world wide stages taking them to within sight of competing against the likes of England and Australia in the ICC World Cup in 2011 in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
They have made this remarkable progress despite their limited facilities at home and completed their preparations in neighbouring Pakistan where their talents are greatly admired.
They have been funded by the MCC here in England and the Asian Cricket Council and such is the growing popularity that a new stadium has been created in Kabul.
If they can finish in the top six in South Africa it will give them a four year entry into the One Day International set up – that is when they will need further international aid to progress their game.
It is amazing progress considering the game was banned under the Taliban rule, as was football which is now picking up again with Afghan listed in the World rankings. All of this international success has come in a whirlwind eleven months.
Afghanistan next meet the Super League leaders Canada, who took over from the Irish after beating Kenya by seven wickets.