Bangladesh in Europe 2012 -Ireland, Scotland, and the Netherlands

[TimAus]

Originally Posted by Night_wolf
agree. but they will face the same problem as pakistan. NO home games. Pakistan may get away with that but for a developing cricketing nation it would be very hard

It'll be an amazing story the first International played in Afghanistan, a true mark of the country's development. I would think that the public would be fairly accepting of not getting internationals at the moment. They would understand they live in a war zone.

[cricket_king]

Originally Posted by TimAus
Very unfair on Afghanistan. You read anything about Afghanistan cricket and it will tell you that cricket has taken off in a huge way. Yes they lack infrastructure but they do not lack players, every game they seem to unearth a new kid who is better than most associate teams' players. In a country that is more worried with restoring order after a bitter and violent war you can't blame them if they don't get big crowds to sporting events, although I don't know what games they fail to get spectators to since they have never played a home game and don't have a stadium.

At the moment I would rank Afghanistan as much higher than Scotland and Netherlands, close to par with Ireland, only marginally below Zimbabwe and even Bangladesh. And they have the potential to become a serious power in the future.

I think he means that there aren't many "pure" Afghans playing cricket for the team, and I'd be inclined to agree considering a lot of members from their team are apparently Pakistani-born. Race/ethnicity can be a big issue in Asian regions, and I don't think too many Afghans will appreciate non-Afghans representing their country for a prolonged period of time.

[Zunaid]

Originally Posted by cricket_king
I think he means that there aren't many "pure" Afghans playing cricket for the team, and I'd be inclined to agree considering a lot of members from their team are apparently Pakistani-born. Race/ethnicity can be a big issue in Asian regions, and I don't think too many Afghans will appreciate non-Afghans representing their country for a prolonged period of time.

They are Pakistani born not because they are Pakistani - they are Afghans who were born and grew up in the refugee camps in Pakistan where they picked up the game. They are all ethnically and nationally Pakistanis. Let's not demean a phenomenal achievement. The Afghans are not the UAE team of yore.

[TimAus]

Originally Posted by cricket_king
I think he means that there aren't many "pure" Afghans playing cricket for the team, and I'd be inclined to agree considering a lot of members from their team are apparently Pakistani-born. Race/ethnicity can be a big issue in Asian regions, and I don't think too many Afghans will appreciate non-Afghans representing their country for a prolonged period of time.

I don't know if cricinfo is lying or not but they've been reliable in the past. According to them every player on the team is Afghan born, even if they've spent time in Pakistan which many have. Everything I've read so far says that cricket's popularity is spreading very quickly

http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine...ry/527754.html
"Now the name of each player is known in every street and alleyway of Afghanistan. And as players we want nothing more than to be successful for our country. Cricket is so popular now that people feel proud naming their babies "Karim Sadiq" or after some other Afghan player. People stay up all night listening to our matches on the radio. Even people who don't understand cricket pray for our success."

http://www.espncricinfo.com/afghanis...ry/477180.html
"Cricket is now more popular than the bullet in Afghanistan and I am moved by the interest and the available talent in Afghanistan," Latif told AFP

http://www.espncricinfo.com/afghanis...ry/552703.html
"From a standing start, cricket is already arguably the most popular sport in Afghanistan, with around 50,000 participants, and crowds of up to 5000 watch domestic matches."

[BANFAN]

@ TimAus: I understand that my comments might sound a bit too harsh, but having lived in Afg since 2004-2011 and still paying occasional visits in 3/4 months, I think I have spoken too much close to the reality. I don't know what CI says, but if you see one group huddling with cricket bat and ball in entire Kabul city, you will see 50 groups playing football on the streets and fields. Media picks what it wants to and there are very few to verify and challenge, just like the stories of Taliban and security myths spread by media.

What I wanted to mean is that, a nation completely ignorant of a game and with almost zero infrastructures shouldn't be able to maintain a constant supply of players with improved skills and as such it is supposed to embrace the natural death. Unless there is a miracle.

@ Zunaid: No I was not talking about the Afghans born in refugee camps. They are real Pakistanis. Ethnic Pashtuns had been splitter by the Durand line long before, but they shares same language and culture like Bengal does. But two facts make big difference between Bangalis of both sides and Pashtuns. 1) they share same religion, while we mostly don't and 2) they were very loosely bonded, self administered FATA territories.

Even the Pashtuns of these tribal areas don't need to have a passport or visa to cross borders on either side, although that situation is changing these days, but slowly. As a result almost all of these Pashtuns on either side has dual passports/National IDs. Almost all Pashun employees I have/had were from Pak, but with Afg PP and they identify themselves as it is convenient for that situation. But with the improvement of law and order situations and increasing anti Pak sentiments of Afghan population, there is pressure on Pakistani Pashtuns to leave Afg and not reap the benefits depriving lesser skilled Afghans. All concerned authorities are tightening up the free flow of Pakistani Pashtuns these days. So the chances of Peshawari Pashtun cricketers playing for Afg will keep shrinking. Afg had to entertain them initially to make a viable team. If the Afg border closes with Pakistan like other international borders, all Pak Pashtuns will return to their side, because they ultimately prefer Pak over Afg at this moment.

Yes, their situation isn't exactly like UAE, since foreigners are more easily identifiable in UAE side than Afg side.

Yes, if there is a international cricket match ever in Afg, that will create huge media buzz for understandable reasons and will also create local interest due to the fact that this will be a rare occasion for Afghanistan. But question is how long that will last? None will go to watch the local teams playing... Even Afghanistan doesn't have a culture of buying a ticket for any sports what so ever. Their stadium/grounds gets filled up during very popular BuzKashi games, but even that's free... So it will be very hard for the board to bring in cricket ignorant people to watch a cricket match with money or raise revenue to survive. Current subsidies from international communities won't last forever and won't give them enough to build their infrastructure.

UK Military is helping them by making practice pitches and arranging matches for the national team, but these are all PR moves due to their presence in Afg... Are likely to be reduced with their withdrawal ..

So from any angle you look at their cricket... It doesn't look to have a future to me.

Well, capitalizing on Afghan cricket teams recent success to show progress and peace due to to military intervention...is a creation of Media... You will start seeing a better picture after US withdrawal. Since all PR campaigns will basically run put of funds.

Well, I'm happy for the success of the team, but if the elements we look for in any other country to assess their chances of development in future, are essential... These Are basically absent in Afg and won't be there in any miraculous ways soon. So how can one be optimistic of the future? So despite all sympathy for the war torn country...they have a monumental task of establishing a cricketing culture from no where, makes me talk so bluntly negative about their future. But off course miracles happen and I will be happy to see them developing and emerging as a major cricketing nation, defying the prevailing conventional wisdom of the experts of the entire cricketing world.

[akabir77]

Thanks banfan for sharing your real life knowledge on Afghans with us. this tells/shows that what know from media is close to nothing what actually is happening. Hope people starts to really less on media and do their research before forming their minds...

[CricketPagolChele]

Originally Posted by BANFAN
@ TimAus: I understand that my comments might sound a bit too harsh, but having lived in Afg since 2004-2011 and still paying occasional visits in 3/4 months, I think I have spoken too much close to the reality. I don't know what CI says, but if you see one group huddling with cricket bat and ball in entire Kabul city, you will see 50 groups playing football on the streets and fields. Media picks what it wants to and there are very few to verify and challenge, just like the stories of Taliban and security myths spread by media.

What I wanted to mean is that, a nation completely ignorant of a game and with almost zero infrastructures shouldn't be able to maintain a constant supply of players with improved skills and as such it is supposed to embrace the natural death. Unless there is a miracle.

@ Zunaid: No I was not talking about the Afghans born in refugee camps. They are real Pakistanis. Ethnic Pashtuns had been splitter by the Durand line long before, but they shares same language and culture like Bengal does. But two facts make big difference between Bangalis of both sides and Pashtuns. 1) they share same religion, while we mostly don't and 2) they were very loosely bonded, self administered FATA territories.

Even the Pashtuns of these tribal areas don't need to have a passport or visa to cross borders on either side, although that situation is changing these days, but slowly. As a result almost all of these Pashtuns on either side has dual passports/National IDs. Almost all Pashun employees I have/had were from Pak, but with Afg PP and they identify themselves as it is convenient for that situation. But with the improvement of law and order situations and increasing anti Pak sentiments of Afghan population, there is pressure on Pakistani Pashtuns to leave Afg and not reap the benefits depriving lesser skilled Afghans. All concerned authorities are tightening up the free flow of Pakistani Pashtuns these days. So the chances of Peshawari Pashtun cricketers playing for Afg will keep shrinking. Afg had to entertain them initially to make a viable team. If the Afg border closes with Pakistan like other international borders, all Pak Pashtuns will return to their side, because they ultimately prefer Pak over Afg at this moment.

Yes, their situation isn't exactly like UAE, since foreigners are more easily identifiable in UAE side than Afg side.

Yes, if there is a international cricket match ever in Afg, that will create huge media buzz for understandable reasons and will also create local interest due to the fact that this will be a rare occasion for Afghanistan. But question is how long that will last? None will go to watch the local teams playing... Even Afghanistan doesn't have a culture of buying a ticket for any sports what so ever. Their stadium/grounds gets filled up during very popular BuzKashi games, but even that's free... So it will be very hard for the board to bring in cricket ignorant people to watch a cricket match with money or raise revenue to survive. Current subsidies from international communities won't last forever and won't give them enough to build their infrastructure.

UK Military is helping them by making practice pitches and arranging matches for the national team, but these are all PR moves due to their presence in Afg... Are likely to be reduced with their withdrawal ..

So from any angle you look at their cricket... It doesn't look to have a future to me.

Well, capitalizing on Afghan cricket teams recent success to show progress and peace due to to military intervention...is a creation of Media... You will start seeing a better picture after US withdrawal. Since all PR campaigns will basically run put of funds.

Well, I'm happy for the success of the team, but if the elements we look for in any other country to assess their chances of development in future, are essential... These Are basically absent in Afg and won't be there in any miraculous ways soon. So how can one be optimistic of the future? So despite all sympathy for the war torn country...they have a monumental task of establishing a cricketing culture from no where, makes me talk so bluntly negative about their future. But off course miracles happen and I will be happy to see them developing and emerging as a major cricketing nation, defying the prevailing conventional wisdom of the experts of the entire cricketing world.

very well said, couldn't agree more. at this moment AFG is a hype. they are nothing more than Pakistan A team. they are growing up in Pakistan, in Pakistani cricket culture with other Pakistanis. so naturally they would be stronger than any other associate countries. let's see how many real afgans from real afgan territories can lead and be still a stronger side. I don't know if people remembered abou UAE.in one ICC tournament they were very stronger side and beat Bangladesh with the help of Pakistani and indian born players. now look at them.....

[zsayeed]

In any worn torn country there is diaspora. It is Afgahnistan's privilege, mind you privilege, to delare their nationality under such circumstance. Look at Israel. No one complains of that. Can they?


PS: Any person born to a Jewish mother; irrespective of Father's religion, is considered an Israeli national, irrespective of birth place. That is Israel's privilege. Now it only needs to be extrapolated to Language and Culture.

[max410]

Ireland tour will be tough for Bd due to conditions if it was Bd local condition Bd will have the advantage .
Other teams such as Afghanistan , Ireland are coming up Bd needs to move forward as well this is the time when Bd really move forward in the rankings its about time we restructure our cricket .
pretty soon Ireland will get test status.

[al Furqaan]

Originally Posted by TimAus

At the moment I would rank Afghanistan as much higher than Scotland and Netherlands, close to par with Ireland, only marginally below Zimbabwe and even Bangladesh. And they have the potential to become a serious power in the future.

I think the Afghans and even the Irish and Zimbabwe are a fair bit behind us, judging on our Asia Cup form.

But Afghan cricket fanbase seems to be growing...their facebook group has more members than Bangladesh's. They, like us are hungry for any kind of success or recognition.

[playmaker]

Afghans are still minnows and still weaker than Ireland, Zimbabwe and netherland. They act as if they cant take down big teams anytime but yet they have not performed to that level. At least netherlands have had some good performances, they had the chance to beat England nevertheless played well, they also did well against india a bit and also ireland though undone by that brilliant century by stirling.

Let afghanistan beat teams in the big picture, then they can talk about their SO-CALLED potential

[nadim 98]

Watch out for Striling.This guy is in best form of his life. Was @ Lords yesterday and boy the shots he played yesterday was just World class specially those one against D. Nannes.

[MSM B2C]

Danger Man On form: 53*, 54*, 33! (Gary Wilson) Irish Player!

^ He plays for Surrey in the current Friends T20 English League. ^

Should keep an eye on him!

[Kohli_Sox]

Looks ike all Irish players are in form

[Sohel]

Shakib will be here to bail our behinds out during this series, so I'm pretty confident.

[MSM B2C]

Paul Stirling on Top Form Man!!!

http://www.espncricinfo.com/county-c...ch/542649.html

He scored 71 of 49 balls against Hampshire. Looks dangerous!

[Sovik]

Why the hell they couldn't tour Ireland when I was there

[naim519]

are the players going to not fast during Ramadan?
lol just saying...

[BANFAN]

So countdown for Ireland starts ... How much time do we need to adjust to their conditions?

[TigerEz]

Originally Posted by BANFAN
So countdown for Ireland starts ... How much time do we need to adjust to their conditions?

about 10 matches!

[Sovik]

You never get used to the Irish Weather.

[playmaker]

it will be an interesting series, hoping that mominul and sabbir gets a chance

[Eshen]

Ireland is a decent T20 team, and we generally suck in this version. I won't be too upset if we lose a match, but hope to win the series.

[Eshen]

Originally Posted by Sovik
You never get used to the Irish Weather.

Hmmm...........

[BANFAN]

Originally Posted by Sovik
You never get used to the Irish Weather.

It will be difficult tour...we should have the same team from Zim.... At least they will be mentally alert/ready to adjust quickly.....new guys will use up too much time ...