The Afghanistan national cricket team is the team that represents the country of Afghanistan in international cricket matches. Cricket has been played in Afghanistan since the mid 19th century, but it is only in recent years that the national team has become successful. The Afghanistan Cricket Board was formed in 1995 and became an affiliate member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 2001and a member of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) in 2003. They are ranked 9th in International Twenty20 cricket as of 25th July 2015 ahead of full members Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.
The national team was formed in 2001 which played in the 2009 World Cup Qualifier after rising rapidly through the World Cricket League, starting in Division Five in May 2008. The team failed to qualify for the 2011 World Cup, but did earn ODI status until 2013. In February 2010, the Afghan cricket team secured qualification to the 2010 ICC World Twenty20, the team's first major tournament. In the same year they won their first Intercontinental Cup, beating Scotland in the final. Afghanistan also won the Asia Vs Caribbean T20 Championship and beat T&T, Bangladesh and Barbados.
Current Squad
Afgan cricket team ODI, T20 Team List given below:-
ODI, T20 Captain: Asghar Stanikzai
Coach: Lalchand Rajput
Name | Batting style | Bowling style |
Asghar Stanikzai | Right-handed | Right-arm medium |
Hashmatullah Shaidi | Left-handed | Right-arm off-break |
Javed Ahmadi | Right-handed | |
Najibullah Zadran | Left-handed | Right-arm off-break |
Nawroz Mangal | Right-handed | Right-arm off-break |
Noor Ali | Right-handed | Right-arm medium |
Shabir Noori | Right-handed | Right-arm off-break |
Usman Ghani | Right-handed | |
Gulbadin Naib | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast |
Karim Sadiq | Left-handed | Right-arm off-break |
Mohammad Nabi | Right-handed | Right-arm off-break |
Nasir Jamal | Right-handed | Right-arm leg-break |
Rahmat Shah | Right-handed | Right-arm leg-break |
Rashid Khan | Right-handed | Right-arm leg-break googly |
Samiullah Shenwari | Right-handed | Right-arm leg-break |
Afsar Zazai | Right-handed | – |
Mohammad Shahzad | Right-handed | – |
Shafiqullah | Right-handed | – |
Aftab Alam | Right-handed | Right-arm medium |
Dawlat Zadran | Right-handed | Right-arm fast |
Hameed Hassan | Right-handed | Right-arm fast |
Izatullah Dawlatzai | Right-handed | Right-arm medium |
Mirwais Ashraf | Right-handed | Right-arm medium |
Sayed Shirzad | Left-handed | Left-arm medium |
Shapoor Zadran | Left-handed | Left-arm fast |
Yamin Ahmadzai | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast |
Amir Hamza | Left-handed | Slow left-arm orthodox |
Mohammad Nasim Baras | Left-handed | Slow left-arm orthodox |
Rokhan Barakzai | Left-handed | Slow left-arm orthodox |
Sharafuddin Ashraf | Left-handed | Slow left-arm orthodox |
Zahir Khan | Left-handed | Slow left-arm chinamen |
Afghanistan | |
ICC status | Affiliate (2001) Associate (2013) |
ICC region | Asia |
Coach | Lalchand Rajput |
Captain | Asghar Stanikzai (ODI & T20) |
First international | |
15 October 2001 v Nowshehra at Gymkhana Ground, Peshawar, Pakistan | |
World Cup | |
Appearances | 1 (first in 2015) |
Best result | Group Stage (2015) |
World Twenty20 | |
Appearances | 4 (first in 2010) |
Best result | Super 10s (2016) |
As of 23 March 2015 | |
Coaching Staff
· Afghanistan National Cricket Academy: Peter Anderson
· Head coach: Lalchand Rajput
· Batting coach: None
· Bowling coach: Manoj Prabhakar
· Fielding coach: Muhammad Ramzan
· Mental conditioning coach: Vacant
· Fitness trainer: Azeem Malik
· Head Physiotherapist: Azeem Malik
The worst days are now perhaps behind a country where rivers of death and destruction have left an indelible trail across the harsh terrain. Yet, the game of cricket gives the nation torn by war a new hope. Afghanistan is by no means new to the game. With a military history heavily intertwined with the British, the country was initiated into the game as early as the late 19th century. In 2000, the Taliban regime stamped its approval on cricket as a permissible sport in the country. Cricket was played in clothing that did not offend the strict religious tenets of the regime unlike sports such as tennis and football. After being formed in the year 2001, the Afghanistan national cricket team played in the 2009 World Cup Qualifier. This after making big strides through the World Cricket League, after starting in Division Five in May 2008. Though Afghanistan failed to qualify for the 2011 World Cup, it earned ODI status in 2013. In February 2010, the Afghan cricket team qualified for the 2010 ICC World Twenty20. They also won their first Intercontinental Cup that year, beating Scotland in the final. Afghanistan went on to win the Asia Vs Caribbean T20 Championship.
Afghanistan also qualified for 2012 ICC World Twenty20 held in Sri Lanka as the runner up of the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier and joined India and England in the group stage. In the first match against India on 19 September, Afghanistan won the toss and elected to field. India posted 159/5 in 20 overs but Afghanistan fell short of that target by scoring 136 in 19.3 overs. In the second match against England on 21 September, Afghanistan won the toss and again elected to field. England set a target of 196/5 (20 overs) but Afghanistan were all out for 80 in 17.2 overs. England and India qualified for the Super Eights and Afghanistan were eliminated as a result of this match.
Afghanistan also qualified for 2012 ICC World Twenty20 held in Sri Lanka as the runner up of the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier and joined India and England in the group stage. In the first match against India on 19 September, Afghanistan won the toss and elected to field. India posted 159/5 in 20 overs but Afghanistan fell short of that target by scoring 136 in 19.3 overs. In the second match against England on 21 September, Afghanistan won the toss and again elected to field. England set a target of 196/5 (20 overs) but Afghanistan were all out for 80 in 17.2 overs. England and India qualified for the Super Eights and Afghanistan were eliminated as a result of this match.
On October 3, 2013, Afghanistan beat Kenya to finish second in the WCL Championship and qualify for the 2015 Cricket World Cup, becoming the 20th team to gain entry into the tournament overall. Afghanistan secured their passage to Australia and New Zealand in 2015 by beating Kenya comprehensively for the second time in succession in Sharjah, sealing their maiden World Cup qualification. They finished second in the World Cricket League Championship — nine wins in 14 matches — and joined Ireland as the second Associate team in the 2015 World Cup, while the remaining two spots for Associates will be decided by a qualifying tournament in New Zealand in 2014. Afghanistan will join Pool A at the World Cup along with Australia, Bangladesh, England, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and another qualifier. On November 24, 2013, Afghanistan beat Kenya to qualify for the 2014 T20 world cup.
In March 2014, Afghanistan beat Hong Kong in the 2014 ICC World Twenty 20 but could not make it to the next stage of super 10 having lost the two matches to Bangladesh and Nepal. On February 25, 2015 Afghanistan won their first Cricket World Cup match beating Scotland. Afghanistan participated in the World Twenty20 2016 in India. They were unable to qualify for the Semi-Finals of the International Tournament. They defeated the West Indies Cricket Team during their final group match of the tournament. On June 25, 2016, Lalchand Rajput was named as head coach of Afghanistan Cricket Team replacing Pakistan's Inzamam ul Haq and his first tour with team will be tour of Scotland, Ireland and the Netherlands in July and August. He was chosen ahead of Mohammad Yousuf, Herschelle Gibbs and Corey Collymore Rajput is in line for a two-year contract, but that decision would be finalized after the upcoming tour of Europe. In July 2016, ACB unveiled a strategic plan and set targets for Afghanistan cricket team to be a top-six ODI team by 2019 and a top-three team in both T20Is and ODIs by 2025. In order to achieve this, ACB created a proposal to be presented to BCCI, in the works to secure annual bilateral matches against India and teams touring India beginning next year. Shafiq Stanikzai, Chief Executive of ACB, said the draft had been presented to BCCI president Anurag Thakur in May and further discussions had happened during the ICC Annual Conference in Edinburgh in June, 2016.
History
The earliest record of cricket in Afghanistan is of British troops playing a match in Kabul in 1839, though it appears that no long lasting legacy of cricket was left by the British. In the 1990s, cricket became popular amongst the Afghan refugees residing in Pakistan, and the Afghanistan Cricket Board was formed there in 1995. They continued to play cricket on their return to their home country. Like all sports, cricket was originally banned by the Taliban, but cricket became an exception in 2000 (being the only sport in Afghanistan to be approved by the Taliban) and the Afghanistan Cricket Federation was elected as an affiliate member of the ICC the following year.
The national team was invited to play in the second tier of Pakistani domestic cricket the same year, and the tour brought international media attention to Afghan cricket when the US-led invasion of the country began whilst the team was in Pakistan. The team lost three and drew two of the five matches on the tour.
They played in two Pakistani tournaments in 2003, winning their first match that year. They began playing in Asian regional tournaments in 2004, finishing sixth in their first ACC Trophy. More success began in 2006 when they were runners-up to Bahrain in the Middle East Cup and beat an MCC side featuring former England captain Mike Gatting by 171 runs in Mumbai. Gatting was dismissed for a duck. They toured England in the summer of 2006, winning six out of seven matches. Three of their wins came against the second XIs of Essex, Glamorgan and Leicestershire. They finished third in the ACC Trophy that year, beating Nepal in a play-off match. They won their first tournament in 2007, sharing the ACC Twenty20 Cup with Oman after the two tied in the final. They began their qualifying campaign for the 2011 World Cup in Jersey in 2008, winning Division Five of the World Cricket League. They finished third in the ACC Trophy Elite tournament the same year, and won a second consecutive WCL tournament, Division Four in Tanzania later in the year.
In January 2009, Afghanistan progressed to the 2009 World Cup Qualifier by winning Division Three of the World Cricket League in Buenos Aires, topping the table on net run rate ahead of Uganda and Papua New Guinea.
Being beaten by Hong Kong in the 2006 ACC Trophy semi-final was actually beneficial to Afghanistan. For all their talent, the players had yet to develop a winners' tenacity. Placed in the ICC World Cricket League Division Five as a result of its ACC ranking, it faced playing upto 25 matches to qualify for the ICC World Cup 2011. Building in confidence and competence, it won Division Five by the narrowest of margins before going through Division Four unbeaten. Afghanistan went on to win Division Three in Argentina to go through to the final World Cup qualifying tournament in South Africa.
Although it won its first two matches against Denmark and Bermuda, defeats to Kenya, the Netherlands and the UAE left it in fourth place in Group B. It was enough to get it into the Super Eights but it didn't take any points through and even a famous victory against Ireland, followed by wins against Scotland and Namibia, was not enough to give it one of the top four qualifying spots. A second win against the Scots, however, saw it finish fifth.
Afghanistan's profile rose still further in 2010 when it won the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifiers to reach the finals in the Caribbean. Although it lost both matches - to India and South Africa - the experience will stand the team in good stead for the future. Afghanistan was awarded Associate membership in June 2013. Most recently it has again qualified for the World T20, to be held in Sri Lanka in 2012.
Although it won its first two matches against Denmark and Bermuda, defeats to Kenya, the Netherlands and the UAE left it in fourth place in Group B. It was enough to get it into the Super Eights but it didn't take any points through and even a famous victory against Ireland, followed by wins against Scotland and Namibia, was not enough to give it one of the top four qualifying spots. A second win against the Scots, however, saw it finish fifth.
Afghanistan's profile rose still further in 2010 when it won the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifiers to reach the finals in the Caribbean. Although it lost both matches - to India and South Africa - the experience will stand the team in good stead for the future. Afghanistan was awarded Associate membership in June 2013. Most recently it has again qualified for the World T20, to be held in Sri Lanka in 2012.
On 1 February 2010, Afghanistan played their first Twenty20 International against Ireland, which they lost by 5 wickets. On 13 February 2010, Afghanistan first defeated the United Arab Emirates by 4 wickets to make their way to the 2010 ICC World Twenty20 to be in the West Indies in April 2010. Later the same day they defeated Ireland by 8 wickets in the Final of 2010 ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier and won the qualifier. Afghanistan were in Group C of the main tournament, with India and South Africa. During their first match against India, opening batsman Noor Ali hit 50 runs, helping Afghanistan to a score of 115 in their 20 overs. Despite this they lost the match by 8 wickets. In their second match, the team were reduced to 14/6 at one stage, before a late rally from Mirwais Ashraf and Hamid Hassan helped Afghanistan post 88 all out, resulting in a loss by 59 runs.
Afghanistan's next major goal will be to reach its first 50-over World Cup.
ODI status
In the 2011 Cricket World Cup qualifying tournament, Afghanistan failed to progress to the World Cup, but earned ODI status for four years. Their first ODI was against Scotland in the 5th place playoff, having previously beaten the Scots earlier in the tournament; Afghanistan won by 89 runs. In the Intercontinental Cup Afghanistan played its first first-class match against a Zimbabwe XI in a four-day match in Mutare. During the match, which was drawn, Afghan batsman Noor Ali scored centuries in both his innings, making him only the fourth player to do so on their first-class debut. Later, in August 2009, they played the Netherlands in same competition at the VRA Cricket Ground, winning a low-scoring match by one wicket. Afghanistan then took part in the 2009 ACC Twenty20 Cup in the United Arab Emirates. Afghanistan were drawn in Group A, a group which Afghanistan topped at the end of the group stages by winning all five of their matches. In the semi-finals the Afghans defeated Kuwait by 8 wickets. In the final they met the hosts, the United Arab Emirates, whom they defeated by 84 runs. The event was a qualifier for the 2012 ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier, but Afghanistan have already qualified for the event in the United Arab Emirates. Further matches in the 2011–13 Intercontinental Cup and the associated one-day league will be played in 2012 against the Netherlands and Ireland and in 2013 against Scotland, Namibia and Kenya. Afghanistan played its first One Day International against a Full Member of the International Cricket Council in February 2012 when they played a single match against Pakistan at Sharjah. Afghanistan also took on Australia Cricket Team for only ODI at Sharjah in August 2012. In July 2014 Afghanistan toured Zimbabwe to play its 1st full series against a full member. The 4 match ODI series finished 2–2 and the 2 match first class series finished 1–1. With their victory over Zimbabwe on 25 December 2015, Afghanistan entered the top 10 of the ICC's ODI rankings for the first time.
Associate membership
Afghanistan got its associate membership of the ICC on 27 of June 2013. The decision was taken on the ICC’s annual meeting on 26 of June 2013 in London, England and was attended by ACB CEO Dr Noor Muhammad Murrad. The nomination request had been sent by theAsian Cricket Council (ACC) last year based on the continuous progress made by former ACB CEO Dr Hamid sheenwari, especially in its cricket development.
"Afghanistan is the only country that receives the Associate membership in a short period of time in reward to the efforts Afghanistan made for the promotion of cricket," Dr Noor Muhammad, CEO of the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), said on the ACC website.
Becoming an Associate would mean higher funding and, importantly, more exposure for the passionate and cricket-starved players from Afghanistan, a war-torn country. So far, the ICC was paying $700,000 in annual funding to Afghanistan, which is now likely to rise to $850,000 based on the Associate status.
2015 Cricket World Cup
Afghanistan made their World Cup debut in the 50 over format of the game against Bangladesh at the Manuka Oval in Canberra, Australia. The match resulted in a 105 run defeat.
The competition will see the team compete against elite cricketing nations such as Australia, Sri Lanka, New Zealand and England. Qualification for the tournament is a historic feat for cricket in Afghanistan as the team comprises many players who picked up the game in refugee camps outside their long-suffering country.
On February 26, 2015, Afghanistan won their first World Cup match against Scotland, winning by one wicket. The teams however, lost all its remaining games and were knocked out of the tournament in the opening round. The team visited Zimbabwe for the second time in October where Afghanistan clinched a historic one-day international series over Zimbabwe after a 73-run victory in Bulawayo saw them win 3–2.
They are the first non-Test-playing country to win a multi-game bilateral ODI series against a Test side.
