Afghanistan all set with the preparation for
historic maiden World Cup:
Captain Mohammad Nabi claimed:
“This
will be written in the history of Afghanistan, as we are the first ever sports
team in the country to qualify for a World Cup”
“We have the
capability to upset one or two teams”
“This will be the
chance for Afghans who are based in Australia or New Zealand to come to the
grounds and support their team”
All HPP tour
matches in Australia to be live-scored on ICC website, www.icc-cricket.com
Afghanistan will be aiming to make an impression in
its maiden ICC Cricket World Cup, side is spending four weeks in Australia and New
Zealand to prepare for cricket’s pinnacle 50-over tournament as part of a tour
organised by the ICC’s High Performance Programme
Having only become an Affiliate member of the ICC
in 2001, Afghanistan has appeared in three consecutive ICC World Twenty20
tournaments (2010, 2012, and 2014), and is now starting its final phase of
preparation for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, which will be played
from 14 February to 29 March.
Afghanistan will commence its four-week HPP tour
with two one-day matches in Perth on Sunday and Tuesday, before
featuring in two matches in Canberra. It will conclude its tour in Tauranga
where it will play matches against Auckland and Northern District.
Skipper Mohammad Nabi, shortly after arriving in
Perth on Monday, said his side was motivated to make a mark in its debut
ICC Cricket World Cup. “We are very proud to find a place in the ICC mega
event, the Cricket World Cup. This will be written in the history of
Afghanistan, as we are the first ever sports team in the country to qualify for
a World Cup.
“We and the whole nation are looking forward to the
tournament. All Afghans want that team to play well in the World Cup,” he
said.
“Our main objective as a team will be to
acclimatise ourselves with the local conditions and get maximum advantage out
of the HPP tour; we will be playing some tough state and provincial teams.
“We assume the WACA will be a tough challenge. It
produces more bounce and carry compared to other pitches in Australia, and we
are not used to those kinds of tracks.
“We will be playing three matches of the World Cup
in New Zealand, and we will be working to develop the skills required for those
conditions during ICC HPP tour. The plus point is that some of our players have
been to New Zealand already, in 2010 for the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup,” he
said.
Afghanistan has been placed in Pool A of the ICC
Cricket World Cup 2015, along with four-time champion Australia, co-host New
Zealand, Bangladesh, three-time finalist England, Scotland and 1996 champion
Sri Lanka.
Afghanistan will play its first-ever ICC
Cricket World Cup match when it faces Bangladesh on 18 February in
Canberra, the side it beat by 32 runs in their only ODI encounter to date
during the Asia Cup 2014. Its other matches are against Scotland (in Dunedin
on 26 February), Australia (in Perth on 4 March), New Zealand (in
Nelson on 8 March) and England (in Sydney on 13 March).
The skipper believed that his side has what it
takes to continue its strong form against higher-ranked opponents. “We have the
capability to upset one or two teams. Being a global event, everybody will
follow each game, so we have to stay calm, play to our potential and enjoy the
pressure. If we play well enough, you never know.
“I think the first game (Bangladesh) will be a crucial
one as everyone would like to start with a win; we have beaten Bangladesh in
its own backyard, which is another plus point. It could also be a crucial
game against Australia,” he said.
Nabi, who was the fourth-highest run-getter of the
qualifying tournament, the ICC World Cricket League Championship, believed his
side would receive great local support down under. “The national team has not
visited Australia or New Zealand before, so this will be the chance for Afghans
who are based in Australia or New Zealand to come to the grounds and support
their team. I am sure we will get lots of supporters in every game.”
Afghanistan HPP
tour matches:
21 September – Afghanistan v WACA squad, WACA
(day/night)
23 September – Afghanistan v WACA squad, WACA
26 September – Afghanistan v Comets, Manuka
Oval (Canberra)
28 September – Afghanistan v Comets, Manuka
Oval (Canberra)
2 October – Afghanistan v Auckland, Mt.
Maunganui (Tauranga)
4 October – Afghanistan v Auckland, Mt.
Maunganui (Tauranga)
7 October – Afghanistan v Northern Districts,
Mt. Maunganui (Tauranga)
9 October – Afghanistan v Northern Districts,
Mt. Maunganui (Tauranga)
Schedule of
releases:
27 September - Ireland, Scotland commence
tours down under
13 October – Scotland returns to New Zealand
as ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 preparations intensify
24 October – Coaches look forward to the ICC
Cricket World Cup 2015
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