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Afghanistan

Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 10:17 am
by jaybro
Afghanistan have Pakistan on the ropes 120/6 after 30 overs this would be a massive upset and a special one for the Afghanies ......

I'm starting to think these associates are slowly sneaking up on Zimbabwe and Bangladesh ......

Re: Afghanistan

Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 8:15 pm
by maehara
Umar Akmal to the rescue for Pakistan.

But yes. Ireland and Afghanistan need to be closely watched, as they're both coming on in leaps and bounds.

Re: Afghanistan

Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2014 11:41 am
by maehara
Oho. Bangladesh v Afghanistan in the Asia Cup on Saturday past:
Afghanistan 254/6 (50ov; Asghar Stanikzai 90*, Afrat Sunny 2/44), Bangladesh 222ao (47.5ov; Mominul Haque 50, Mohammad Nabi 3/44)
Afghanistan win by 32 runs.

Their first Full Member scalp, I believe, and puts them above Bangladesh in the tournament points table with 2 more games to play.

Beware the Rise of the Associates, especially if you're called "Bangladesh" or "Zimbabwe", I'd say.

Re: Afghanistan

Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2014 7:20 am
by foreignfield
Beating BD in BD at the first time of asking is no mean feat!

Afghanistan have been competitive in every match so far. Even yesterday when they lost by a huge margin against SL they put the Lankans under immense pressure with the ball but couldn't quite finish off the innings (same happened against Pak when their seamers wilted under an Umar Akmal onslaught at the end). They certainly have a very good bowling attack, a number of guys who bowl around 140 kph and decent spinners -- but of course their batsmen need more exposure to top-class bowling.

Ireland remind me a lot of Zim in the nineties: A team transformed from a bunch of amateurs to a very professional and experienced outfit that does all the basics right, steady bowling, good batsmen (and having lost Hick/Morgan/Rankin to England). The question with Ireland will always be sustainability: But right now CI seem to be doing a great job.

The future for Afghanistan is even brighter in my opinion, the problems at home notwithstanding. It's a bit of cliché, but the Afghans are warriors, they are not afraid of anything, and their fast-bowling resources are already greater than those of BD, SL, and possibly even India. What's more important, the sport has really taken off in the country as my cousin who works in Kabul tells me (even if his Pakistani colleagues regard the Afghan team as nothing more than Pak B). They might lack the tradition, but with all the know-how right across the border they are bound to get stronger and stronger.

I would say that today across the formats BD, Zim, Ireland and Afghanistan are as much on par as NZ, WI, SL and Pak. Shame that we don't play each other more frequently.

Re: Afghanistan

Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2014 6:42 am
by Jemisi
Well done Afghans

Re: Afghanistan

Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2015 6:14 am
by jaybro
Congratulations Afghanistan win an absolute thriller against Scotland their first ever win at a World Cup ......

I've enjoyed these high scoring matches but a good old fashion low scorer always brings so much tension ....

Re: Afghanistan

Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2015 7:00 am
by grant
Absolute thriller! This has got to be the match of the tournament :D
Now beat those minnows (England)