Afghanistan look to extend World Cup fairy-tale

Associate side take on Bangladesh in their opener

CANBERRA: Afghanistan offer the World Cup a fairy-tale story if they can upset Bangladesh and launch their debut tournament with a victory at Canberra’s Manuka Oval on Wednesday.

The Afghans want to give their war-weary homeland something to cheer about and they hold hopes of upsetting Test-playing Bangladesh after shocking them in the Asia Cup in Dhaka last year.

“For Afghanistan to play the 50-over World Cup is a dream come true,” said captain Muhammad Nabi. “If there is positive news like the cricket players of Afghanistan in the World Cup, it totally changes the minds back home and also in the world as well. This is a game that can bring Afghanistan together and be a very good tool for peace and stability.”

Apart from fellow Associate nation Scotland, Bangladesh is Afghanistan’s big opportunity for a win as they also have Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and England to contend with in Pool A.

“The biggest challenge is going to be how the batsmen handle the quicker bowlers,” said their English coach Andy Moles. “Playing in Australia is going to be quite brutal for some of these guys who aren’t used to those conditions. I will work hard to give them as much confidence as possible, to play without fear of failure and if they see an opportunity at any stage in a game, to take it. I’d like them to enjoy the challenge that lies ahead.”

With experienced players like Nowroz Mangal, Nabi, Samiullah Shinwari, Najibullah Zadran, Shapoor Zadran and Hamid Hasan, Afghanistan will hope they can show their talent in the big league.

The South Asian side qualified for the last two World Twenty20 tournaments in 2010 and 2012 but lost all their matches. However, this will be their first time in the 50-over tournament.

Bangladesh looking for better World Cup form

A loss would be an embarrassment for the Bangladeshis, who must negotiate Afghanistan if they are to make a run for the quarter-finals as one of the four teams out of Pool A.

Bangladesh, coached by Sri Lankan Chandika Hathurusingha, will need a dramatic turn in fortunes to ensure another World Cup does not cause more misery. Bangladesh failed to register wins for most of 2014 until fellow wooden-spooners Zimbabwe came calling at the end of the year and were thrashed 3-0 in Tests and 5-0 in the one-dayers.

A five-wicket win over Australia at Cardiff in 2005 was their moment of glory until they knocked India out of the 2007 World Cup to move beyond the first round for the only time in the tournament. “The kind of squad we have, I am confident we can reach the quarter-finals,” said skipper Mashrafe Mortaza.

The focal point of Bangladesh’s campaign will be skilful 27-year-old all-rounder Shakibal Hasan, who has been the team’s mainstay ever since his international debut eight years ago.

The left-hand batsman and left-arm spinner goes into his third World Cup as the top-ranked all-rounder in all three formats. Shakib is the only player in the team who has experienced Australian conditions recently, having turned out for Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash Twenty20 tournament.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 18^th, 2015.

Like Sports on Facebook, follow @ETribuneSports on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.