In a week’s time Afghanistan will play in their first cricket World Cup, a T20 competition in the West Indies.  The incredible rise of Afghanistan’s cricket team through the ranks to the centre stage of cricket has been nothing short of incredible.  One hopes that the fastest growing and most popular sport in Afghanistan can help give the nation hope.  Can sport help to heal wounds, forget war and bridge gaps?

Learnt in the refugee camps of Pakistan and now flying around the world to play against the best teams… stuff that dreams are made of…

Here is a very interesting video on the development of cricket in Afghanistan – “Proud to be an Afghan” and good reason to!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Sachin Tendulkar scored 200 runs not out, yesterday in a one-day international (ODI) cricket game, India versus South Africa.  The little master batted his way past the previous record of 194 held by Anwar and Coventry, to become the first man to score a double century in an ODI.

The Little Master at work

Tendulkar needed all his skill and guile to get to this landmark figure. Using the pace of the ball off the last overs to help him score boundaries.  He hit the record breaking runs off the last over, as India posted a massive total of 401.   Although the Roop Singh Stadium in Gwalior, India does not have the longest boundaries, it is still a marvel that he managed this feat considering the relatively strong opposition.  South Africa could only manage 248 in reply, with AB de Villiers top scoring and getting left stranded on 114 not out.

The Little Master craft-fully and masterfully stroked, caressed, bludgeoned and glided the ball around the field.  His timing of the ball was superb yesterday and his ability to pace his innings to survive until the end. I bet the weary South Africans will not be looking forward to bowling at Sachin in tomorrow’s game!

To play any one-day game in India is an experience as the frenzied crowd gets carried away with the entertainment.  But yesterday the atmosphere in the stadium must have been incredible as the Indian cricketing hero broke the record!

Did you ever think that you would read a headline like this?  I didn’t even know the USA had a cricket team, let alone that they were playing Afghanistan today, in the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier 2010, for the upcoming ICC  Twenty20 World Cup. The 20 over game has just taken place at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Afghanistan Cricket Supporters

Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bat, hitting a modest 135/4 in their 20 overs.  The USA struggled in their reply, losing wickets at regular intervals to eventually only manage 106/7 in reply.  Great bowling by the Afghanis, kept the pressure on, with Hamid Hassan taking the Player of the Match award for his match winning bowling figures of 3 wickets for a miserly 14 runs off 4 overs. Not bad figures for Twenty20 cricket!

The entertaining, fast and furious Twenty20 cricket is really catching on around the world.  The ICC is trying hard to strengthen the Associate playing nations and give them a chance to take on the world’s best at the Twenty20 World Cup in the Caribbean.

Afghanistan have risen through the ranks remarkably and are now well placed to go through the last stages of the Qualifying competition, on their way to the Twenty World Cup.  Perhaps cricket can play an influential role in bringing peace to Afghanistan.   Or at least giving people some hope within their war torn country.  If structures can be put in place to play cricket within different leagues in Afghanistan, then perhaps sport can be used as a catalyst to unify people.

The entertainment factor in Twenty20 cricket is perfect for the USA and I am sure that we will see cricket being played more often in the US.  The US cricket team pulled off a surprise win against Scotland a few days ago, perhaps having a few big hitting West Indian born players helps.