Afghans Have Edge Now But Don't Write Off Irish

Tim Wigmore focuses on the top end of the Tier Two game where two teams have dominated.

For eight years, dating back to Afghanistan’s shock victory in the World Cup qualifiers in 2009,Afghanistan and Ireland have been adversaries on the pitch but allies off it, together showing the talent that exists beyond the ten Full Members and pushing world cricket, often seemingly in vain, to recognise as much. Their fierce rivalry has made both countries collaborate in exploring the limits of the sport’s potential beyond the Test world.

Until now, at least. After years of rising in unison, with Ireland generally a nose ahead, the two nations seem to be on very different paths, as exposed by Afghanistan thumping Ireland by an innings in the Intercontinental Cup, the first-class tournament for Associates that the Irish have come to regard as their own personal fiefdom.

It was one of the worst results in Irish cricketing history, made all the worse for not being entirely unexpected. As if that was not enough, Afghanistan A also beat a strong India U23s side on the same day, a window into the huge talent that exists even beneath the first team. Afghanistan’s potential as a cricketing nation is staggering.

The reasons for the divergence between the two leading Associates are not hard to identify. Afghanistan, having overcome overwhelming challenges, now find themselves better endowed on and off the field than any Associate nation since Sri Lanka, before their elevation to Test cricket 35 years ago, and, perhaps, even earlier.

Cricket is Afghanistan’s national sport, popular among all tribes. Their on-field success has given Afghanistan a fanaticism for cricket rivalling that of India and Pakistan. Their remarkable story, and the desperation of the world to support a good news story in the country, has opened up funding from the most unlikely of sources – Germany, Sweden and the USA have all been among the strong financial supporters of Afghan cricket.