Afghanistan win the ACC Twenty20 Cup

Afghanistan, everyone’s favourite heartwarming warzone-based cricket team of the last year, have won the ACC Twenty20 Cup, beating the UAE in the final by 84 runs. Mohammad Nabi starred with both bat (73 from 38 balls) and ball (4-7 from just nine deliveries) as the Afghans won the trophy which they had to share with [...]

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Shahzad Arrives

ODI cricket has a new centurion – Mohammad Shahzad of Afghanistan, who made 110 from 112 balls as everyone’s favourite minnows beat the Netherlands to level the current series at 1-1. Shahzad’s score is the highest ever score by an Afghan player in a One Day International, but that’s less impressive than it might sound, [...]

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Afghanistan and the Netherlands both Crumble

Far removed in many ways from the drama of the world’s most famous Test series, some extraordinary cricket has been taking place in Amstelveen. Twenty wickets fell on the first day of the Intercontinental Cup match between the Netherlands and Afghanistan, the Dutch managing to make 181 whilst the tourists made just 107 in reply. [...]

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Afghanistan shock Ireland

Up until today, Ireland were the only unbeaten team in the ICC World Cup qualifiers, and Afghanistan’s fairytale looked like it was coming to an end at the Super Eight stage. Ireland, however, were bowled out for a mere 196, mainly thanks to Hamid Hassan‘s 5-23, four wickets if which involved breaking the batsman’s stumps. [...]

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World Cup Qualifier: Super Eights

After five matches each, the wheat have been separated from the marginally more chaff-like wheat, and 12 teams have been reduced down to eight for the Super Eights stage, which it is to be hoped will be more than half well named. The teams eliminated, and therefore definitely not going to the finals (and also [...]

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World Cup Qualifier Preview: Group B

Afghanistan’s remarkable story will attract most neutral supporters, but the talent of the likes of Hamid Hassan and Mohammad Nabi would command attention regardless of the surrounding circumstances. The step up to this level may cause problems for some of the less experienced members of the squad, but there is sufficient quality in the side [...]

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Afghanistan and Uganda in World Cup Qualifier

Afghanistan and Uganda have qualified from Division 3 of the World Cricket League to book their places in the final round of qualification for the 2011 World Cup, edging out Papau New Guinea on net run rate. Afghanistan and Uganda had been forced to replay their final matches against the Cayman Islands and Argentina respectively [...]

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World Cricket League Division 3 Preview

The next stage in the long road to World Cup qualification gets underway in Buenos Aires tomorrow, with Division 3 of the World Cricket League. Afghanistan qualified from Division 4 in October, as they indeed did from Division 5 back in May. Their progress this far has been remarkable given the obvious obstacles they face. [...]

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Afghanistan and Hong Kong go through

Hong Kong and Afghanistan have both qualified from the World Cricket League Division 4, and will now head off to Argentina for the next stage of qualification for the 2011 World Cup. The two sides are playing each other today, but the result is mainly academic. Meanwhile, Jersey and Fiji were relegated to Division 5, [...]

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World Cricket League Division 4 Preview

The next stage (Divison 4) of the inaccurately-named World Cricket League gets underway tomorrow, with Jersey and Afghanistan (qualifiers from Division 5 – see highlights here) joining Hong Kong, Italy, Fiji and hosts Tanzania in the battle for two spots in the Division 3 tournament (to be held in Buenos Aires). Jersey‘s squad has four [...]

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This weekend’s other final

The World Cricket League Division 5 (see Well Pitched‘s guide to the WCL) reached its climax today as Afghanistan edged Jersey by 2 wickets in a low-scoring final. Hamid Hassan took 4-27 for Afghanistan as the hosts were bowled out for a mere 80. Jersey made it hard work for the Afghans to chase down [...]

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