Aimee
You have to go back to March 15, 2007, for the last time a nation made its World Cup debut. That day, two of them took their first bow: Bermuda and Ireland. Bermuda was bowled out by Sri Lanka for 78, but the other new team, was made of sterner stuff, sneaking a tie against Zimbabwe off the very last ball after Jeremy Bray, born in New South Wales, had started the campaign with a resolute 115 not out. Two days later, the Irish would defeat Pakistan and qualify for the Super Eight stage.
When it makes its first appearance in the competition at the Manuka Oval in Canberra on Wednesday (February 18), the challenge before Afghanistan is to ensure that it follows Ireland’s path when it comes to World Cup debutants.
Much has been made of its victory over Bangladesh at the last Asia Cup in 2014, but the Afghans will be well aware that their opponent was without Shakib Al Hasan, its best player, and Tamim Iqbal, its most explosive batsman, at the time. Bangladesh may have had an indifferent build-up, but there is plenty of skill in the ranks and an experienced core, which always helps at the big tournaments.
The conditions will also be completely different. The Manuka Oval has hosted just three matches since South Africa and Zimbabwe played there during the 1992 World Cup, but the pitch will certainly offer more by way of pace and bounce than that Asia Cup surface. That should help Afghanistan, who has a pace attack capable of worrying more heralded sides. Hamid Hassan has taken 22 wickets in his last ten ODIs, while the Zadrans – Shapoor and Dawlat – offer a different sort of test. Mirwais Ashraf also bowled tidily in the warm-up against India.
Bangladesh, so used to relying on spin in home conditions, will also go in with three pacers. Mashrafe Mortaza remains the standard-bearer, but Taskin Ahmed is an exciting prospect, and they are likely to be joined by one of the Hossains. The vastly more experienced Rubel should get the nod over Al-Amin.
For spin, Bangladesh will rely on Taijul Islam and Mahmudullah in addition to Shakib, who remains its most reliable player by a distance. Afghanistan struggled against the Indian spinners, and even on a relatively quick pitch, it should surprise no one if Bangladesh opts to try and exploit its spin strengths.
