Afghanistan beat Kenya, create history by qualifying for the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2015

Afghanistan celebrate the fall of a Kenyan wicket

Afghanistan needed just one more win in the World Cricket League (WCL) to qualify for the 2015 World Cup and this victory couldn’t have got any sweeter. They bowled Kenya all-out for 93 in 43.3 overs and managed to make the same score in 20.5 overs.

“It’s a big achievement for Afghanistan cricket and Afghanistan to qualify for the World Cup in 2015,”Mohammad Nabi, the team’s captain, said.

The win today takes Afghanistan to second on the table, thus providing them with an automatic qualification for the World Cup. Ireland have already qualified and had the Afghans lost, UAE would’ve gone through to the World Cup.

Once the opening batsmen for Kenya were dismissed, MA Ouma scored 39 runs in 60 balls, giving the feeling that he was there to stay and play. Unfortunately for him, the start of the 32nd over saw him getting run out by Samiullah Shenwari. RR Patel put up 18 runs on the board, but he too failed to stabilize himself and was bowled by Hamza Hotak in the 30th over.

Hamza Hotak ended up taking 3 wickets in 10 overs for 19 runs. Hamid Hassan, Karim Sadiq and Mohammad Nabi all took 2 wickets each.

Afghanistan too lost an early wicket with Mohammad Shahzad getting out for only one run in the second over. Nawroz Mangal went on to make 19 runs, but he too got LBW’d by Ngoche in the 11th over.

Mohammad Nabi and Hashmatullah Shaidi built up a decent partnership of 62 runs thus getting Afghanistan a step closer to achieving their goal.

Afghanistan managed to make 94 runs in 20.5 overs, with Mohammad Nabi being the top scorer of the match (46 runs in 42 balls, 3 fours and 2 sixes)

Afghanistan will be in Pool A alongside England, co-hosts Australia and NZ, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Qualifier 3 at #cwc15

— ICC (@cricketicc) October 4, 2013