Afghan cricket team qualifies for Int’l Cup

KABUL: After taking third position in the cricket championship in Malaysia, Afghanistan’s team qualified to take part in the 2011 Qualifying Round of the Cricket World Cup, officials said.

Taj Malik Alam, Afghan Cricket Federation secretary and trainer, told Pajhwok Afghan News its team took third position in between 17 countries.

In an exclusive chat with this said news agency, the Afghan cricket trainer said his team will be able to take part in the 2011 World Cup after passing many steps, he added. After World Cup the cricket will play as league between some countries and after that six winner countries will play matches against the 11 permanent members of the World Cup.

"I am confident on my players to perform well in coming matches and get the Afghanistan flag high in the world cup," he hoped. Happy about his players performance, he said, his team had 90% success this year.

The team had played 20 international matches and won 18 and lost two more, he said, adding the cricket team played against defeated Britain and Indian cricket clubs in three competitions in India. They won six matches in Britain and lost one and similarly one three competitions in Pakistan, he added.

He said the Afghan team won six of the seven matches in Malaysia as well. After the getting the third position in Malaysia the Afghan team could play matches in Africa, Europe and Australia as well, he concluded.