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  • Afghanistan Career

    So I’ll be honest, I started an international career as Afghanistan purely to see how much of a thumping I got and wondering whether or not I might be able to somehow, with a fair wind and a big slice of luck, acquire the achievement for Afghanistan’s maiden test victory.

    I was of course aware of the mercurial talent of Rashid Khan but I’ll confess my knowledge of Afghan cricket essential started and finished there - this was going to be a voyage of discovery for me.

    I was not expecting much. I fully expected to get clobbered all over the show and give up after a day or two, returning to my main career save with Auckland...

    Oh how wrong I was! I’m loving Afghanistan!

    My first series at the helm was a 3 game T20 series, a format I've traditionally been terrible at on Cricket Captain, however it was on home soil against Bangladesh - this could be an interesting litmus test of the quality of some of the Afghan squad. It was hardly the ideal way to prepare for the second series - a solitary test match against the mighty India, in India!

    Let's not dwell on the upcoming series I told myself. Let's focus on the opposition ahead of us and take it one series at a time...

    My first Afghan squad was selected based on a hodgepodge approach of who was in the default squad, combined with some personal preference about the number and type of bowlers and a look through who was on form in the current year in the T20 format. With the squad selected, and fingers crossed, I moved on to my inaugural series in charge.

    Bangladesh in Afghanistan T20 (3 game series)

    Game 1 of 3

    Going in to bat first Afghanistan set an imposing total of 203 (losing only two wickets in the process) with Mohammad Shahzad contributing an impressive 95 not out whilst fellow opener S. Shahidullah hit 70 before falling lbw to Rahman.

    In reply Bangladesh could only manager 150 all out, with Hamid Hassan taking the bowling plaudits with 5-26 during his 4 overs. The leg spinning super star (Khan) failed to claim a wicket...

    Game 2 of 3

    This time it was Bangladesh's turn to set the pace and they posted a reasonable total of 143, going at just over 7 runs an over. Not astronomical but given my wretched T20 history it was enough to make me nervous chasing it down.

    I need not have worried. 144 runs later with 9 wickets still in hand the best-of-three series was wrapped up. Shahzad hitting 53 before being dismissed and Shahidullah 74 n.o. staring with the bat again.

    Game 3 of 3

    With the series settle Bangladesh, specifically Tamim Iqbal, decided that some pride needed to be restored and they duly set an impressive score of 204 for the hosts to chase. Iqbal contributing 107 of those 204 runs himself.

    The Afghan batsmen were clearly already on the beach sadly as they were only capable of posting 128-5 in reply, failing to claim the whitewash but save in the knowledge that the series was still theirs.

    There were encouraging signs to be taken from this opening series - however the real barometer was up next in the shape of that solitary test match against India.

    Afghanistan in India Test Match (1 game series)

    The first bit of good news in the series came in the form of the news that India’s talisman, the imperious Virat Kohli was injured. Well I might not lose quite so badly now I thought to myself...

    Going to India I opted for two spinner, Khan as a given and to mix it up the offspin of all-rounder Mohammad Nabi.

    The umpires tossed the coin, India called it correctly and elected to bat under cloudless sky’s. Their strategy clear - post an unassailable total and then skittle the minnows out twice.

    It didn’t quite pan out that way however with India posting a very respectable, but not unreachable, 313 all out. Pujara the start of their first innings with a wonderful 126 before falling as Rashid Kahn’s only victim of the innings.

    Right then, what could we do in reply...

    Quite a lot as it turned out! I set about the innings with the initial rather modest goal of simply avoiding the follow on. 397 runs later I needn’t have worried!

    A wonderful 108 from Noor Ali Zadran, abley supported with scores of 86 and 87 from Ihsanullah Janat and Hashmatullah Shahidi being the pick of the Afghan batting.

    So with a lead of 84, and some small delusional thoughts about maybe nicking a win starting to pop into my mind the Indians took to the field to start their second innings.

    The Afghan strike bowlers kept up the good work started by their batsmen with both Indian openers dismissed for just 11 and 17. Rahul also went cheaply for just 10. Enter Jadeja and Pujara. They took the game by the scruff of the neck and dug in hard. Pujara was once again the thorn in the Afghan bowlers side, hitting his second century of the match before falling not long after on 102. Jadeja contributed an excellent 79.

    Once those two had been dismissed the Indian spirit seemed to break and the remaining 5 batsmen only managed to combine for 44 additional runs. India's second innings total - 274 all out, only 190 runs ahead with 4 sessions of the match remaining. Could Afghanistan hold their nerve and pull off a truly historic victory?

    Whether it was a case of the nerves and inexperience of the Afghan players telling, wounded pride on the part of the Indian bowlers we may never know but the wickets began to tumble. Only one player (Hashmatullah Shahidi) managed to post a score in excess of 24.

    But, it was just enough! With 8 men back in the hutch, Shahidi not out on 63 and Hamid Hassan clinging on with 2 the score hit 191 and Afghanistan claiming a sensational 2 wicket victory over one of the preeminent test nations in the world, in their own backyard too!

    Pujara claimed man of the match for his two centuries, but all that was forgotten as the partying on the streets of Kabul went on well into the small hours (at least I like to think it would have done)!

    I'd achieved it, a test match victory with Afghanistan, at the first time of asking and against India no less! Maybe there's something in this Afghan side I thought to myself maybe I'll stick with them. The next two series are both against Ireland, one home and one away, surely having beaten India I could put on a good showing against Ireland I thought? Time to hit continue and find out...

    ... to be continued ...

    p.s. let me know your thoughts, this is the first time I've ever done an after action report on a game, thoughts and pointers welcome, heck if people like it I might even stick it on a proper blog not just a forum - all constructive criticism welcome!

  • #2
    All,

    Having looked through the amount of games I'd have to catch-up on for Afganistan, and the fact I didn't really take any notes during the games, I've decided to abandon this AAR. However, I've started a new one which can be found at the attached link detailing my quest to return Leicestershire to the top flight of English cricket.

    I've started writing this one as I'm playing so it's completely in step and I'm taking relevant notes along the way.

    Hopefully you'll going me for the journey!

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