Afghanistan Marches On
As Q had mentioned in a previous post, ICC's Division Five tournament was held to decide two teams to continue on the road for qualification to the 2011 World Cup. The two teams have now been decided - they are Afghanistan and Jersey.
For Afghanistan, a country torn for decades, this is an incredible step. But before celebrations break out in the streets of Kabul and Kandahar, there's a long way to go for the Afghans to make a mark on international cricket:
A long and near impossible road, but wouldn't it be nice to see Afghanistan there? And even if they don't make it to the World Cup, just seeing them gain experience and improve is really great. How about Pakistan playing Afghanistan in an official ODI at some point? Preferably in Peshawar - now that would be one raucous crowd!
For Afghanistan, a country torn for decades, this is an incredible step. But before celebrations break out in the streets of Kabul and Kandahar, there's a long way to go for the Afghans to make a mark on international cricket:
Afghanistan and Jersey not only progressed through to Saturday’s final but will also join Hong Kong, Fiji, Tanzania and Italy in the six-team ICC WCL Div. 4 set for the Tanzanian capital of Dar Es Salaam from 4 to 11 October.
In turn, the top two teams from that tournament will progress to WCL Div. 3 in Argentina next January and hope to finish in the top two to qualify for the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2009 in the UAE, which incorporates Divisions 1 and 2.
The top four Associate or Affiliate teams from the ICC World Cup Qualifier will book their places at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 to be staged in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. [LINK]
A long and near impossible road, but wouldn't it be nice to see Afghanistan there? And even if they don't make it to the World Cup, just seeing them gain experience and improve is really great. How about Pakistan playing Afghanistan in an official ODI at some point? Preferably in Peshawar - now that would be one raucous crowd!
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Nepal frustrate the life out of me. At the junior level, they've got talent to match Test sides, and have done so for almost a decade. Something goes horribly wrong once they start playing senior cricket. They really should be at least Division 2.
Afghanistan are also a good long-term cricket prospect, so I would have liked to see an Afghanistan-Nepal final for them both to move up to Div 4. Jersey are never going to amount to anything, and the USA will just remain a place for the odd retired West Indian.
Gives new meaning to the term "minefield of a pitch"
Its pleasing to see Afghanistan do well. I read an interview of their coach before this league got underway and he said his team was in form and looking towards 2011.
This is their first step there.
I would like to see them play - I wonder if they have 11 Afridis in there ;-)
Sledge, before the Pakistan vs Afghanistan game how abt an Afghanistan vs Peshawar match!!