Afghanistan beat Scotland to win their first One Day International - Telegraph

After just missing out on qualification for the 2011 World Cup Afghanistan celebrated their first match with official One Day International status by defeating Scotland in the fifth-place play-off at the ICC World Cup Qualifiers in South Africa.

Playing in Benoni, the Afghans, who had already beaten Scotland in the Super Eight stages just two games ago, won by 89 runs after setting the Scots a target of 296 to win from their 50 overs.

Afghanistan's fearless playing style was once again crucial as Noor Ali raced to 45 off just 28 deliveries, before fifties from Mohammad Nabi and Samiullah Shenwari carried the side to 295 for 6.

Afghanistan's final total was effectively six an over and proved too much for Scotland.

Neil McCallum scored 25 from 33 deliveries to offer some hope but he was given out lbw and after that Afghanistan took over.

There was a late flurry from Scotland through final pairing of John Blain and Gordon Drummond.

But, with 10 overs still in hand, Blain was finally bowled for 41, having shared a 63-run partnership with Drummond, who was left undefeated on 25. Hamid Hassan ended with three for 33 from his eight overs.

Before the match Hassan had revealed the pride he felt at his team's achievements.

He said: "It is the proudest day of my life knowing that I am going to have the opportunity to play one-day international cricket for Afghanistan. I feel absolutely wonderful – it is a brilliant achievement for our country."

Next up for Afghanistan is the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier for the tournament to be held in the Caribbean in 2010.

Afghanistan, along with Canada, Ireland, Kenya, Namibia, Holland, Scotland and the United Arab Emirates will have ODI status for the next four years.

Afghanistan's Journey to the Brink of the 2011 Cricket World Cup

What comes into your mind when you think of Afghanistan?

War. The Taliban. Poverty.

No matter what your opinion may be of the Islamic state, it may be time add another word to the list.

Cricket.

The Afghanistan national cricket team is on the precipice of achieving one of the most incredible feats in the history of sport. They are merely one match away from qualifying for the 2011 Cricket World Cup.

The eyes of the cricket world are firmly focused on South Africa as the Indian Premier League is set to commence this weekend on foreign shores. Sadly, many of those gazing in awe at the stars of the Twenty20 game are blind to the beauty of what has been happening on the cricket pitches of South Africa this past week.

Cricket in Afghanistan dates back to 1839, when the game is reported to have been played by British troops in Kabul. However, unlike many other countries influenced by British sport, the vast majority of Afghan people didn’t take to the game.

For over a hundred years the game remained dormant in Afghanistan. In fact, it wasn’t until the early 1990’s that the game became a relatively popular activity for Afghan people.

Afghan refugees, who had found sanctuary in neighbouring Pakistan, learned to play the game. Whilst still residing in the squalor of their refugee camps they formed the Afghanistan Cricket Federation in 1995.

The seeds had been sown. However, cricket in Afghanistan was cast aside in 1996 when the Taliban came into power, since they prohibited all sports.

As the world welcomed a new millennium, the Taliban had a change of heart. Cricket, in 2000, became the first sport, and only, sport to be approved by the fundamentalist regime.

Afghans were now free to play cricket when and where they wanted, but the good news didn’t end there. Just one year later, Afghanistan was bestowed with the honour of affiliate membership of the International Cricket Council.

Since then they have toured Pakistan, playing numerous teams from the second tier of Pakistan’s domestic league, as well as trekking around the home of cricket, England.

Wins were scarce, but that didn’t matter.

In 2007 they got their hands on some silverware, well, they had to share the ACC Twenty20 Cup with Oman after a tie in the final, but still, a trophy is a trophy.

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