16 years ago Afghans were not even on the cricket map, today where they are, even Australia-New Zealand and Pakistan are not there…

New Delhi. Just 16 years ago, the team that was playing cricket with teams like Jersey, Mozambique, Malaysia, Singapore, Botswana, Vanuatu, has today made it to the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup. Afghanistan. There has hardly been any team in the history of cricket that has progressed at the pace that Afghanistan has today. The team that played its first ODI in 2009 and its first T20 match in 2010 is today close to winning the World Cup by eliminating Australia and New Zealand. Afghanistan’s journey from being an underdog to a giant can be understood in 5 points.

1. Afghanistan Cricket Board was formed in 1995
At a time when Sachin Tendulkar was the biggest star of cricket and centuries were being scored by him/her, Afghanistan did not even have a cricket board. Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) was established in 1995, which was recognised by ICC as an affiliate member in 2001.

2. The Taliban lifted the ban in 2000
In the 1990s, the Taliban had banned many sports in Afghanistan. Cricket was also included in these. In the year 2000, the Taliban excluded cricket from the ban imposed on all sports. Only after this did the ICC recognize Afghanistan. In 2001-2002, the Afghanistan team fielded its team in Pakistan’s domestic tournament Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. Afghanistan has to take help from Pakistan Cricket because its own country does not have all the facilities from stadium to those necessary for organizing matches.

3. Won Division Five trophy in 2008
Afghanistan’s team participated in the ICC World Cricket League Division Five tournament in 2008. Division Five is the lowest ranked tournament of ICC. In 2008, apart from Afghanistan, Japan, Norway, Bahamas, Jersey, Singapore, Botswana, Mozambique, USA, Germany, Nepal and Vanuatu participated in this tournament. Afghanistan made its debut in the cricket world by winning this tournament.

4. Played first ODI in 2009
After the excellent performance of 2008, Afghanistan gets a chance to play in the qualifying tournament of World Cup 2011. Afghan fighters do not qualify for World Cup 2011, but they definitely get ODI status due to their better performance. After this, in 2009, Afghanistan team plays its first ODI match against Scotland. A year later, in 2010, Afghanistan also debuts in T20 International cricket. In the year 2017, it also gets Test status.

5. Now Kabuliwala will play the World Cup semi-final
Afghanistan is in the semi-finals of the current T20 World Cup. To reach this stage, it defeated New Zealand in the group stage. After this, it defeated Australia in the Super-8 stage. Now it will face South Africa in the semi-finals. Not only Afghanistan’s cricket fans, but the world’s greats also believe that Rashid Khan’s fighters may have the upper hand in the semi-finals. If the Afghanistan team defeats South Africa in the semi-finals, then neither call it an upset nor be surprised. Reason – The position at which Afghanistan is today (World Cup semi-finals), neither Australia-New Zealand nor host West Indies or Pakistan are there. Afghanistan is the shining star of cricket and there is every possibility that this time it will not return home before playing the T20 World Cup final.

tag: afghanistan cricket, ICC T20 World Cup, T20 World Cup