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World Cup 2015 January 30, 2015 Play 00:32 'Qualifying for Super 8s will be an achievement' - Moles

Unlike Canada and Kenya - Associate supernovas of the 2000s - Afghanistan's star continues to burn brightly since their meteoric rise through the World Cricket League starting in 2008 and shows no signs of being reduced to a flicker anytime soon. After finishing one spot out of the qualifying positions for the last World Cup, Afghanistan finished second in the 2011-2013 WCL Championship, securing one of the four World Cup berths available to Associates.

In the time since, they notched a convincing 32-run win over Bangladesh in the 2014 Asia Cup and won two out of four ODIs away in Zimbabwe in July. Afghanistan displayed promising signs that they will be able to adjust to conditions in Australia and New Zealand by winning four out of eight games during a pre-World Cup tour in September and October against state-and district-level competition.

Their most recent competitive action has been against their fellow Associates. After dropping three of four ODIs to UAE, Afghanistan came away with two wins out of four ODIs in a desert tri-series against Ireland and Scotland. More evidence that Afghanistan hasn't shed their helter-skelter style was on display as they easily chased down 238 in one game against Scotland before collapsing for 63 in a rematch six days later.

Talismanic but oft-injured fast bowler Hamid Hassan took 5 for 45 against UAE on December 4 in just his second ODI upon returning from a lengthy layoff. He managed to stay in one piece through the subsequent ODIs against Scotland and Ireland and his continued good health represents Afghanistan's best chance to cause a ruckus with upsets in their World Cup debut.

Afghanistan's hopes of reaching the quarter-finals are pinned to defeating the other Associate, Scotland, plus the weakest Full Member in Group A, Bangladesh, as well as defying the odds to knock off one of the big teams. It's not out of the realm of possibility that the final Group A match between England and Afghanistan on March 13 could determine who advances to the knockout stage.

Previous World Cups

This is Afghanistan's World Cup debut

Squad: Mohammad Nabi (capt), Javed Ahmadi, Aftab Alam, Mirwais Ashraf, Usman Ghani, Hamid Hassan, Nasir Jamal, Nawroz Mangal, Gulbadin Naib, Samiullah Shenwari, Asghar Stanikzai, Dawlat Zadran, Najibullah Zadran, Shapoor Zadran, Afsar Zazai (wk)

Fixtures

Excerpt from:
Newbies Afghanistan aim to make a splash