Afghanistan beat Ireland to qualify for 2019 Cricket World Cup

[Major]

Afghanistan lost to Scotland, Zimbabwe and Hong Kong, which made it look like as if they were not gonna qualify for the next round of the qualifier, the super six. The world cup qualification could be no where scene.

They did end up winning their last game in the group stage which was against Nepal. But for Afghanistan to qualify for the next round, they needed Nepal to upset Hong Kong.

Hong Kong was a stronger team in comparison to Nepal, and yet Nepal won.

Afghanistan ended up qualifying for the super six. However, there was a problem. points were being carried forward. While Scotland, Zimbabwe and West Indies carried forward points(2,4) Afghanistan entered with 0 points.

Afghanistan defeated West Indies and UAE, but due to the other teams carrying points forward, it looked as if Afghanistan won't be able to qualify.

Afghanistan now needed Ireland to defeat Scotland, which they did. But stil the odds were against them again.

West Indies had qualified, and Zimbabwe needed to beat UAE to qualify aswell. It was certain that West Indies and Zimbabwe were through, while the rest were out.

But faith intervened again. UAE were able to defeat Zimbabwe, and now Afghanistan and Ireland had a chance. The last match, Ireland Vs Afghanistan meant that the winner qualified for the world cup and would play west Indies in the qualifiers championship.

Afghanistan called up Asghar Stanikzai, whos Appendix had burst and had a surgery recently.
The match was going well when the Afghani's collapsed. Asghar stanikzai came out with medical dressings all around his torso. He was having troubles in running between the wicket and playing shots, but he was running at a fast pace. After every over, his medical dressing had to be rearranged. He was in quite alot of pain.

But in the end, agaisnt all odds, Afghanistan will be playing the 2019 World Cup

and they are also playing the qualifer's final.

 

[Major]

Reminds me of leicester city

 

[MenInG]

After a poor start to the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2018, Afghanistan needed everything to go their way in the Super Sixes – they had to win all three matches and hope for other results to go their way. So far, it has all gone perfectly for them, and now, in the must-win final fixture against Ireland, Rashid Khan fronted yet another excellent bowling performance to restrict Ireland to 209/7 and give his side a big chance of making it to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019.

Electing to bat in the all-important clash, William Porterfield and Paul Stirling got Ireland off to a reasonable start, adding 53 runs for the opening wicket, but also taking 15.3 overs to each there. The slow start meant both the batters needed to cash in after settling down but that didn't quite happen as Mohammad Nabi sent Porterfield back after a 45-ball 20.

Andrew Balbirnie, the centurion from Ireland's last game against Scotland, took 33 deliveries to reach 11 before Rashid got into the act to get rid of the Irish No.3 with a nothing delivery. The ball was short and wide and there to be hit, but Balbirnie's defensive mindset meant he could only nick it behind to Mohammad Shahzad.

Paul Stirling top-scored for Ireland with an 87-ball 55 Paul Stirling top-scored for Ireland with an 87-ball 55

Niall O'Brien, playing his 100th one-day international, then got into the mix and immediately upped the ante. He was quick on his feet against the spinners and rotated the strike at every given chance as he carved a crucial 44-run stand for the third wicket with Stirling.

The opener opened his shoulders as well, slamming Sharafuddin Ashraf over the deep mid-wicket fence and soon reached his 16th ODI half-century in 77 deliveries, but a bad mix-up ended his stay on 55 with the scoreboard left reading 121/3 in 32.2 overs.

Niall O’Brien was set by then, and had hit four fours and a six during his 36-ball 41 before Dawlat Zadran got him to mistime a drive straight into the hands of Samiullah Shenwari in the covers.

Kevin O'Brien struck a few telling blows at the end as he hit a 37-ball 41, which included three fours and a mammoth six, to get his side closer to the 200-runmark. But the slow start and the regular loss of wickets meant that despite the late flurry, Ireland finished with a below-par total. None of the Afghan bowlers gave away more than 5.4 runs per over, with Mujeeb Ur Rahman (3.1) and Ashraf (3.0) the most miserly of the lot.

At the halfway stage, it’s advantage Afghanistan, but Ireland, who are in the same boat as their opponents and will qualify with a win, will hope that their bowlers can exploit the many chinks in the often brittle Afghan batting.

https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/650168

 

[troodon]

Where are all the critics who were saying bad things about Afg team?

 

[Major]

Where are all the critics who were saying bad things about Afg team?

they were right

Afghanistan narrowly made it.

 

[j_kazmi]

On their day Afghanistan is good enough give a lot of top teams a run for their money.

Although they seem to have a lot brainfades just like Pakistan.

 

[BreadPakoda]

Congrats to Afghan brothers.

 

[pakistani pride]

Where are all the critics who were saying bad things about Afg team?

Still here...

 

[backfootpunch]

Reminds me of leicester city

That's going overboard - Leicester City actually won the premier league.

 

[backfootpunch]

Where are all the critics who were saying bad things about Afg team?

Half of it was pure luck in all truth.

 

[Mainul]

Where are all the critics who were saying bad things about Afg team?

Afganistan is the least deserving team to enter WC.They we're extremely lucky. I feel sorry for Zimbos,Irish and Scottish.

 

[Arham_PakFan]

Afghanistan were rubbish in the first round.All other major teams were better.

 

[CricCrazyNick]

Afganistan is the least deserving team to enter WC.They we're extremely lucky. I feel sorry for Zimbos,Irish and Scottish.

Afganistan is one of the most promising team and just bcoz of few bad games u just cant write them off

 

[big_gamer007]

Nice post [MENTION=135038]Major[/MENTION].. Thanks for the summary.. Seems everything that needed to happen for Afghanistan to qualify happened..

All the stars aligned one can call it a semi miracle..

 

[Mainul]

Afganistan is one of the most promising team and just bcoz of few bad games u just cant write them off

It really matters in big stages.Afganistan is good in bilaterals but failed poorly in bigger stages.

 

[shane]

It was really frustrating watching Ireland's complete lack of intent with the bat today, especially given all their experience. They should be ashamed of themselves and they thoroughly deserve to be knocked out.

 

[JattMaula]

It really matters in big stages.Afganistan is good in bilaterals but failed poorly in bigger stages.

They won 4 games straight. Defeated WI and Ireland both full members in super six. I would say that they didn't fail on big stage.

 

[Usman Chadda]

None of the associates are a decent team. Afghanistan will get smashed around at the WC19. Look at the state of their bowling attack.

 

[Donal Cozzie]

It was really frustrating watching Ireland's complete lack of intent with the bat today, especially given all their experience. They should be ashamed of themselves and they thoroughly deserve to be knocked out.

Its frustrating of course, but I think Afghanistans spinners also deserve credit. With an attack of Rashid, Mujeeb,Nabi and Dawlat they dont really have any weak links

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

Congratulations to Afghanistan and their supporters.

 

[cricketindiafan]

What an achievement for Afghanistan. They truly deserve to be there. Never gave up despite a terrible start to the tournament. Thy could give some of the big boys a headache in the WC.

Next up perhaps their biggest match yet - inaugural Test vs India in June.

 

[Donal Cozzie]

It was tough to watch. Unlike post Zimbabwe where I was positively fuming at such an abject batting display, today I just felt sad. The guys gave absolutely everything. Even the batting, had no momentum whatsoever for the final 20 overs but can fault the effort. To even bring the game to the last over when Afghanistan were 85 for 0 after 17 was a tremendous effort, but twenty runs short in the end sadly.

People really dont understand just how vital world cups are in these nations to garner attention. In Ireland we are completely saturated with sports. We have the two most popular games only played here, gaelic and hurling, then you have football, rugby and horse racing. Cricket rarely ever gets a chance at being more than just a side headline except for these events. Even after the result yesterday, news sites started putting out articles about Irelands do or die qualifier, a shot at a World Cup. We're proud of our sporting success as a small island and when a side reaches the top level we want to watch it, want to support it and want to keep it going. Without a WC it's difficult if not impossible for cricket to ever grasp the headlines like it did in 2007, 2011 an 2015 because bilateral games ultimately have no meaning and thus, not much interest to the casual or non cricket follower. Only exception to this is if we play England because, well, its England.

So to watch today as the Golden Generation bowled their hearts out, slowly but surely tieing the RR down, fielding with fire and desperately trying to win only for it all to dissipate, as it always would, in a single six by Najibullah kinda shattered the greatest era of Irish cricket into pieces, and ensured that there would be no fairytale ending for many players.

From an Irish POV we can have no complaints. Ultimately we lost to Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and the WI, the three teams closest to us in the rankings. Cant have any complaints after that. We've finished 5th out of six teams and while we did better than I expected after our horrific summer last year and 1st ODI vs Afghanistan last December, ultimately the table reflects the truth. We can put away Associate teams with ease but dont have the quality to beat FM's despite getting into decent positions at times to do so.

The Test match in May will be a celebration of everything this group of players have achieved and they will earn the status of Test cricketers as they should have earned long ago. But after that is said and done, 2017 should be the year some players call it a day. Joyce is barely fit anymore sadly, Murtagh likely wont see much point in putting himself through a county and international career at the age of 36 without a WC to play for. He'll get a Test and call it a day after this summer I feel. Joyce the same. NOB maybe as well (although he shut me up by performing quite well in this tourney). Wilson averaged 10 as a specialist batsman here, was hoping Ford would reignite him but that looks unlikely. Hard to see him keeping a regular spot anymore.

Ultimately I'm frustrated. Frustrated that the ICC got exactly what it wanted from this tournament when Scotland and Zimbabwe both deserved to qualify over the two qualifiers themselves IMO, former especially were robbed. Frustrated that had HK not been garbage vs Nepal we'd be at the WC right now but frustrated more so because the ICC's greed has ensured that Zimbabwe will miss out on a WC for the first time in 40 years, Ireland for the first time in 12 years. All so that the richest boards can swim in a little bit more money.

And the average cricket fan wont give a damn, which is the greatest tragedy of all. This tournament has shown how magnificent cricket can be if these teams got exposure and played each other more regularly. No sport in the world creates the tension and stakes cricket does in these environments.

Instead though we'll get the same tired line ups of India vs Aus, India vs SL, Pak vs SL et al played on tired flat pitches in front of tired bored spectators waiting for the inevitable 4 teams to play the semis when the real tournament will begin.

Thats it then I guess. Afghanistan pull off probably the greatest comeback arguably in sports history (number of things that had to go their way was quite frankly insane) but fair play they pulled it off. A shame only they will bring any sort of spark to the eventual event itself.

 

[DeadBall]

IRE were well on track and AFG looked like once again cracking under pressure but that McCarthy over spoiled everything.

 

[Donal Cozzie]

Anyone know what odds Afghanistan were to qualify for the WC after the HK loss??

Must've been at least 150/1

 

[DeadBall]

I

So to watch today as the Golden Generation bowled their hearts out, slowly but surely tieing the RR down, fielding with fire and desperately trying to win only for it all to dissipate, as it always would, in a single six by Najibullah kinda shattered the greatest era of Irish cricket into pieces, and ensured that there would be no fairytale ending for many players.

Actually it was the 15 run 45th over that changed the momentum of the game. Najibullahs six wouldn't have mattered that much as the RRR was below 6 by that time and was just the icing on the cake.

 

[DeadBall]

Anyone know what odds Afghanistan were to qualify for the WC after the HK loss??

Must've been at least 150/1

Could have made some decent dough there. Another one missed was the T20 WC which WI won, the odds were 210/1 in the initial stages.

 

[Donal Cozzie]

Actually it was the 15 run 45th over that changed the momentum of the game. Najibullahs six wouldn't have mattered that much as the RRR was below 6 by that time and was just the icing on the cake.

True that over changed it all but before the six it was 14 off 14. Still had some vain hope Rankin and Murtagh could go for three an over and leave 6 off the final over. That six meant it was 8 off 13 and game over.

 

[AamchiMumbaikar]

Afg were destined to qualify, so many things went their way.

 

[Eagle_Eye]

Humble pie for me. Epic turn of events!

 

[Hasan123]

Congrats to Afghanistan. Was an enjoyable qualifying tournament.

 

[GLORY OF '92]

Very lucky. Zimbabwe and Scotland are far better. Will be humiliated at the World Cup.

 

[Dr_Green]

Congratulations Afghanistan and the fans....the captain showed true bravery and the team played with a never say die attitude with their backs to the wall...they managed to fight and claw their way to world cup qualification.

They truly deserved have shown to be best team of the lot over last few years , with some truly talented players...look forward to watching my Afghan brothers do well at the world cup

Believe they have realistic chance of beating Bangladesh and west indies !

 

[Corridor of Uncertainty]

Afghanistan are a very exciting team. It will be great to watch their wizardry in action.

Good teams make their own luck.

More power to them. Welcome to the World Cup.

 

[Spectrum]

West Indies and Afghanistan clearly deserve these spots. But teams like Zimbabwe and Ireland can also surprise any teams on their day. Very poor decision by ICC to make only 10 team WC..

 

[hadi123]

Wow. Afghanistan pulled off a miracle to qualify! I was watching the conclusion of the match on my laptop while I was making lunch and I am happy for Afghanistan and I don't really like Ireland that much lol didn't want them to qualify but seeing Ireland's captain in tears and struggling to speak due to the fact he had been crying in the post match presentation was sad to watch.

Shame on ICC!

 

[nighthawk23]

Very lucky. Zimbabwe and Scotland are far better. Will be humiliated at the World Cup.

Far better? The same Zimbabwe side who has never beaten Afghanistan in an ODI series?

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

Wow. Afghanistan pulled off a miracle to qualify! I was watching the conclusion of the match on my laptop while I was making lunch and I am happy for Afghanistan and I don't really like Ireland that much lol didn't want them to qualify but seeing Ireland's captain in tears and struggling to speak due to the fact he had been crying in the post match presentation was sad to watch.

Shame on ICC!

ICC has lost its mind.

West Indies
Afghanistan
Zim
Ireland

All of them deserve to play.

 

[shane]

Anyone know what odds Afghanistan were to qualify for the WC after the HK loss??

Must've been at least 150/1

I remember on Bet365 at least, they were something like 20/1. On that website the odds of Afghanistan actually winning the World cup are 150/1.

 

[Shutdown Corner]

Afganistan is the least deserving team to enter WC.They we're extremely lucky. I feel sorry for Zimbos,Irish and Scottish.

They played with the same tournament rules as everyone else. Scots you can say were hard done by some poor decisions going against them in two successive games. But the Irish have been poor since the last WC. And ZIM couldn't qualify in a tournament they were hosting and had 2 chances to seal the deal.

 

[WengerOut]

That's going overboard - Leicester City actually won the premier league.

I think he was referring to the previous season where Leicester stayed in the premier league after going on a winning spree from a seemingly hopeless situation.

 

[Shutdown Corner]

Anyone know what odds Afghanistan were to qualify for the WC after the HK loss??

Must've been at least 150/1

I guesstimated all the things that had to and ended up going in their favor at 0.275%...ie a quarter of 1% meaning 1 in 400 chance. Imagine that!

Honestly, only Scotland, Afghanistan (for turning around a rubbish peformance), and West Indies (only 1 loss) deserved qualification. Ireland and Zimbabwe just did not have the skills, the talent, or the mental strength to last the distance. For Zimbabwe 7 games was just too much, they peaked early and the opponents realized that their one trick pony was the Mire-Zhuwao battering ram and once they neutralized that, it was lights out.