Afghanistan beaten 2-1 by Ireland in UAE

[al Furqaan]

Afghans aren't as good as BD yet...long way to go in fact. in 30 games vs ZIM and IRE their batsmen crossed 250 only a handful of times.

[Donal C]

Afghanistans problem is while the board functions fairly well and they have over 200 full time cricketers they still have nepotism in the set up. Stanikzai is absolutely useless outside Test cricket and he's captain so thats one spot wasted. Shapoor Zadran was finished two and a half years ago yet gets a recall and goes at 10 an over. Karim Sadiq when he was as a friend who knows the Afghan team told me about 47 years old got picked on an A team tour of Zimbabwe IIRC lol.

However all their young players perform. Rashid is such an underrated batter, real quality. Rahmat has class and they will build around these players in future.

In 5 years they will be a top 6 ODI side. They already have world class spin and potent but wayward pace, all they need is a couple more proper batsmen and they'll come along shortly.

[Donal C]

As for Ireland our major issue is still the middle order which is not up to the task anymore. Fix that and we're doing OK IMO. McCarthy has been unbelievable since selection, Rankin is back and fit, Chase has progressed nicely so bowling I think is OK and there are some talented young bowlers coming through.

This was a fantastic turnaround though. 8 ODI's in a row vs AFG in Asia and we've won half and were robbed by umpiring in another. Why cant we do this vs other full member sides escapes me.

[Rifat]

Congrats Ireland. Beating Afghanistan is no small feat

[Rifat]

Afghan batting needs to improve drastically before they can be considered a major threat to world cricket

[brockley]

They get back Shazhad in January.
Zimbabwe and West Indies can't take Afghanistan,Ireland,Holland or Scotland lightly in March.

[aklemalp]

Congrats Donal C and your Irish team. All the best.

Would have a pitcher of Guiness tonight my bro.

[Donal C]

Originally Posted by aklemalp
Congrats Donal C and your Irish team. All the best.

Would have a pitcher of Guiness tonight my bro.

Considering I'm in the middle of exams I think I'll save it for Thursday lol.

And if you ever see a pitcher of Guinness its your duty to throw it on the floor. Ugh, Guinness is served in pint form only.

And I prefer Smithwicks anyway :P

[Gowza]

Weakness for Afghanistan is the batsmen, once their young batting talents start coming through to their national team the batting will become a lot stronger imo and they got the fast bowlers and spinners sorted and at least for now nabi is a decent enough all rounder.

[al Furqaan]

Originally Posted by Donal C
Afghanistans problem is while the board functions fairly well and they have over 200 full time cricketers they still have nepotism in the set up. Stanikzai is absolutely useless outside Test cricket and he's captain so thats one spot wasted. Shapoor Zadran was finished two and a half years ago yet gets a recall and goes at 10 an over. Karim Sadiq when he was as a friend who knows the Afghan team told me about 47 years old got picked on an A team tour of Zimbabwe IIRC lol.

However all their young players perform. Rashid is such an underrated batter, real quality. Rahmat has class and they will build around these players in future.

In 5 years they will be a top 6 ODI side. They already have world class spin and potent but wayward pace, all they need is a couple more proper batsmen and they'll come along shortly.

Afghan pace stocks are over hyped. All they have is Dawlat. Hamid is finished...a career trajectory very similar to Mortaza. Apart from dawlat, none of the Afghan quicks would even make the SL side. Gulbaddin, Naveen are 130 k trundlers.

Their batting is terrible and will remain so even if Stanikzai is dropped. Stanikzai is a symptom not the disease itself.

If you can't boss Irish and ZIM bowling home or away, you won't break into the top 9, let alone top 6.

Im an AFG fan as I have Pashtun ancestory from my Nana's side, but their team has a LONG way to go. Rashid and Mujeeb will keep teams to modest totals, but who will chase even 200?

My guess is with Test status, a lot of the people who have been hyping associates sides over BD the past 15 years will realise how tough it is for new Test teams in the modern era post 2000.

[al Furqaan]

Originally Posted by brockley
They get back Shazhad in January.
Zimbabwe and West Indies can't take Afghanistan,Ireland,Holland or Scotland lightly in March.

Why would ZIM take teams lightly when they are underdogs compared to WI, AFG, and IRE? Thats like saying BD cant take India and Australia lightly.