Or is it just the start?

To get this far after starting in Division 5 of the World Cricket League is still quite an achievement for people who started playing cricket while living as refugees in Pakistan.

Afghanistan has not qualified for the 2011 World Cup, but by ending in the top 6 in the qualifiers, it has managed to get itself ODI status for the next 4 years.

Had someone told Afganistan 2 years ago that by 2009 they would be playing ODIs, no one would have believed it.

But now they are there.

And they are there as the strongest Asian associate nation.

UAE, Hong Kong, Nepal have all been left behind.

Now its upto the ICC to help Afghanistan progress from here.

They need to provide adequate funds for the development of the game in the country.

They also need to ensure that Afghanistan play enough ODIs during a season.

They need to arrange bilateral tours with other associates.

I'm not sure how many countries will tour Afghanistan, but there's no stopping them from touring and the ICC needs to make it happen.

With teams not touring Pakistan in the near future, and maybe for even longer, an ODI series against Afghanistan cannot be counted out.

Maybe Sledgehammer's dream of witnessing Pakistan take on Afghanistan in Peshawar will finally come true!

The Dream hasn't come to a stop, it has just started for the Afghans!