Afghanistan secured a place in the World Cup

Aganisthan, Oct 4 – Afghanistan have secured a place in the World Cup for the first time after beating Kenya by seven wickets in the final qualifying match in Sharjah.

 

A target of 94 was reached in the 21st over to seal second place in the World Cricket League behind Ireland.

 

The Afghans only received associate status – the second tier below Test nations – from the International Cricket Council this year.

 

Afghanistan will be in England's group in Australia and New Zealand in 2015.

 

Their first match in the competition will be against Bangladesh in Canberra on 18 February 2015 and they will also face Sri Lanka, Australia and New Zealand before taking on England in Sydney on 13 March.

 

As recently as 2008 Afghanistan were playing in Division Five of the World Cricket League.

 

In 2010, they reached the ICC World Twenty20 in the West Indies 2010 by winning a qualification event in the United Arab Emirates but lost both of their group games in the main competition, to India and South Africa.

 

They also qualified for last year's World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka after again finishing second to Ireland in the qualifying tournament but lost to India and England in the opening group phase.

 

Needing a victory to move above the UAE and Netherlands, the Afghan bowlers restricted Kenya impressively, with only Morris Ouma and Rakep Patel reaching double figures.

 

Skipper Mohammad Nabi saw them to victory with an unbeaten 46 featuring there fours and two sixes.

 

The 28-year-old , in his 27th one-day international, thumped a six over long-on and in the next over dispatched slow left-armer Shem Ngoche out of the ground before sealing victory two balls later with a four through mid-wicket.

 

Two more associate nations will qualify for the tournament in a play-off next year.

 

 

Source: BBC