PTI

New Delhi, October 15

Hovering close to the higher echelons for a while, battle-hardened Afghanistan lastly confirmed they belong amongst cricket’s elites, having obtained assist from the game’s behemoth, India.

Ravaged by years of wars and inside conflicts, the nation’s cricket crew on Sunday induced an enormous World Cup upset after they outplayed holders England by 69 runs for under their second World Cup win.

Afghanistan cricketers educated rather a lot in Pakistan of their childhood and a few of them even picked up the game in refugee camps on the opposite aspect of the border. The crew from the war-ravaged nation even made its T20 and ODI debut towards Pakistan.

After that nevertheless, the BCCI took over and performed a large position within the speedy rise of the sport within the strife-torn nation.

The Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex in Greater Noida turned a brief “home-ground” for the crew in 2015 with BCCI lending a serving to hand. They had shifted base to Noida from Sharjah and even performed dwelling worldwide matches towards Ireland in Greater Noida in 2017.

Afghanistan had additionally “hosted” a Twenty20 sequence towards Bangladesh in Dehradun.

Besides, former India gamers Lalchand Rajput and Manoj Prabhakar have coached the Afghanistan crew, the latter as bowling coach.

Strengthening the relations additional between the 2 nations, BCCI had invited then Afghanistan president Ashraf Ghani to observe the crew play its first Test match in Bengaluru.

The aspect has come a good distance since then, frequently enjoying in ICC world occasions in addition to incomes their Test standing.

Afghan gamers within the IPL too have helped unfold the game’s recognition within the nation.

Afghanistan have all the time acknowledged the position India performed of their growth as a cricket nation.

When Afghanistan turned the twelfth Test enjoying nation 5 years in the past, it culminated a 23-year journey that started in 1995, when the Afghanistan Cricket Federation was arrange.

While they’ve had their moments in the previous few years, Afghanistan had been desperately in search of a consequence just like the one they achieved on Sunday, towards one of many recreation’s greatest groups.

It is kind of outstanding that they had been capable of flatten England, the reigning world champions, regardless of hardly ever coming head to head with the established nations within the 50-over format.

Put in to bat on a wicket that had yielded large runs lately, Afghanistan notched a aggressive whole, after which out-performed the England bowlers with their spin trio dominating the formidable English batting line-up.

It was becoming that the crew’s greatest ambassador Rashid Khan picked up the final wicket to seal the well-known win and depart the English bruised and battered.

Needless to say, Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi was delighted with the victory.

“I’m quite happy, all the teammates are happy. This is the best win for us, the confidence will be there for the next game and I’m very proud,” Shahidi summed up the temper.

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