Meet the Afghanistan Team for the ICC World Cup 2015

Afghanistan cricket board has announced the 15 member squad for the upcoming cricket world cup. With around one and half month left the the tournament this is the right move for the board to declare the team and let them focus on the preparations. Let us discuss the team players and their recent form, achievements in detail here. The team list is as follows:

1. Mohammad Nabi Eisakhail 
2. Nawroz Mangal
3. Afasr Khan Zazai 
4. Mohamma Javed Ahmadi  
5. Mirwais Ashraf 
6. Gulbadin Naib 
7. Mohammad Ashghar Stanizai
8. Samiullah Shinwari 
9. Najibullah Zadran 
10. Usman Ghani
11. Nasir Jamal 
12. Hamid Hassan 
13. Shapoor Zadran 
14. Dawlat Zadran 
15. Aftab Alam

Mohammad Nabi and Nawroz Mangal the team captain and vice captains respectively. Both these players are bowl right arm off-break and are strong pillars of the batting line.  Nawroz Mangal has captained the Afghanistan team in the past and his experience will be crucial and helpful both for the team and to the new captain Nabi as well.  Afasr Khan Zazai is the only wicket keeper in the squad and in case of any injuries any batsmen is most likely to keep the wickets for Afghanistan team. The fifteen member squad included a couple of all rounders and batsmen but I guess the selectors should have picket a few more fast bowlers in the 15 members squad. There are only 4 fast bowlers in the team. One or two additional fast bowlers might have given the coach and the captain some more choices to pick the bowlers.

Now when the team is already announced we wish all the best to the Afghanistan cricket team. The team is already in Australia for preparations.

World Cup Match Schedule for Afghanistan cricket team: Here is the details of the matches the Afghanistan cricket team will play in the word cup in the group stage:

• 18-Feb-2015: Afghanistan v Bangladesh at 14:30 Australian Standard time at Manuka Oval, Canberra
• 22-Feb-2015: Afghanistan v Sri Lanka at 11 am Australian Standard time at University Oval, Dunedin
• 26-Feb-2015: Afghanistan v Scotland at 11am Australian Standard Time at University Oval, Dunedin
• 4-Mar-2015: Afghanistan v Australia at 14:30 Australian Standard Time at Western Australia Cricket Association Ground, Perth
• 8-Mar-2015: Afghanistan v New Zealand at 14:30 Australian Standard Time at McLean Park, Napier
• 13-Mar-2014: Afghanistan v England at  14:30 Australian Standard Time at Sydney Cricket Ground

The complete world cup match schedule can be seen here - http://icccricket.blogspot.com/2014/07/2015-cricket-world-cup-match-schedule.html

If the Afghan cricket team plays well and win a couple of matches in the group stage, they have the chances to qualify for the knock out rounds. But this first time world cup appearance is a great opportunity to the team to learn and grow further in the world of cricket. We once again wish the very best to the Afghanistan cricket team and hope this would be the first of many ICC world cup appearances for them.