The threat was real, as South Africa, England and Sri Lanka would have testified. At the VCA Stadium here on Sunday, Afghanistan stepped forth and carried it out successfully to register their second win against a full member team with a 6-run upset of the high-flying West Indies.
Off-spinner Mohammad Nabi, coming around the wickets to narrow the angle, bowled a superb final over to deny their rivals the 1o runs they needed. Carlos Brathwaite, having given WI hope with a couple of sixes, was taken in the deep by a scampering effort from Najibullah Zadran that highlighted the spirit and the desire of the Afghans to make a point for the associate nations.
“In next one or two years, we will be a serious team and (be able to) beat these full members very easily as we have potential in this team,” captain Asghar Stanikzai had earlier.
The win certainly wasn’t that easily achieved, but it was a result as much borne of the immense self-belief flowing through this Afghanistan side as their on-field talents.
A highly-rated Samuel Badree foxing 19-year old Afghanistan opener Usman Ghani with a googly is no surprise, but when someone as experienced as Marlon Samuels falls to the guile of the wrong one from 17-year old Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan, credit has to be due two times over to their skill and passion for the sport.
Defending a below par total, they went about the task with gusto. Fielders backed up the bowlers, who applied the available resources in the best possible manner that suited the surface they were playing on.
While WI, not wanting a repeat of the nerve-wracking chase of a similar target against SA, looked to go for the big shots at every opportunity from the start, not much was forthcoming. After debutant Evin Lewis fell for a duck, wickets at regular intervals held them back, with Andre Fletcher being forced to retire with a hamstring injury not helping matters.
Dwayne Bravo steadied the innings and they appeared on course until he was trapped leg before wicket by Nabi in the 14th over.
With the bat, Afghanistan had found it tough to push the scoring along on a slow wicket with the WI bowlers giving no pace on the ball. Leg-spinner Badree claimed three wickets for just 14 runs, including that of dangerman Mohammad Shahzad, to help keep Afghanistan in check. Bravo seemed to continue from where he left off against the South Africans two days ago, with his assortment of slower deliveries. Andre Russell also chipped in with a couple of scalps.
Brief scores: Afghanistan 123/7 in 20 ovs (Najibullah 48*, Badree 3-14) bt West Indies 117/8 in 20 ovs.
Afghan timeline of growth
1839: Records of British soldiers playing cricket during the first Anglo-Saxon War
1879-80: Locals play with British soldiers during the second Anglo-Saxon War
1900-85: Cricket is not played at all and people flee to Pakistan because of the decade-long war with Russia
1995: Allah Dad Noori, a refugee returning to the country, establishes the Afghanistan Cricket Federation in Kabul (it is now called the Afghanistan Cricket Board)
1995-2000: The Federation registers with the Olympic Committee as a national sport. The Taliban, who like the game, urge the Board to write a letter to PCB requesting support to join the International Cricket Council as an Affiliate member June 2001 ICC awards Afghanistan status of Affiliate
2004: They play their first official fixtures; the Asian Cricket Council Trophy
March 2006: Afghanistan tours India to play an MCC team, captained by Mike Gatting. Afghanistan comfortably beat MCC
2008: The squad heads to Jersey to play in the fifth division of the World Cricket League. The entire team is made up of former refugees who returned to the country from Pakistan. They beat Jersey in the final to get promoted
2009: They master both divisions, four and three, to qualify for the 2011 World Cup qualifiers in South Africa. Their recent run earns them ODI status but they fail to qualify for the World Cup
2010: Afghanistan beat Ireland in the final of the 2010 World T20 qualifiers to advance to the tournament proper later that year. This is the first time they advance to a major finals in any sport
September 2013: The side needs to win six matches to advance to the 2015 World Cup and they do just that. Just before that the ICC gave them Associate sponsorship.