Panjshir and Laghman have become the first two teams to qualfiy for the semi-finals of Afghanistan’s inter-provincial 50-over competition.
Last Sunday, Panjshir, a province in the north-west of the country, qualified out of group A with a win over the heavily supported Khost. Unfortunately, Khost provided a big controversy when, seemingly knocked out, they got a reprieve and were allowed to stay in the tournament.
Khost were understandably disappointed that they had been knocked-out of the tournament after winning their only game. They were annoyed that they could be dumped out on run-rate when their representatives weren’t at the meeting which decides the rules for the competition. However, the way they went about venting their displeasure was damaging for Afghan cricket: Khost got their tribal leaders and ministers inside President Hamid Karzai’s cabinet to put pressure on the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB); even the many Khost supporters occupied the pitch, which was supposed to be used for the match between the orignal quarter-finalists, Balkh and Panjshir. Sadly, the ACB caved into the demands from Khost and arranged for them to play Balkh. Khost won this match, but they lost their next match, the quarter-final, against Panjshir. The changes in the format, which were forced due to Khost’s whinge, were implemented for all the groups; hence each group has five matches instead of four as was planned.
This was a sad incident as cricket shouldn’t be affected by politicians.
Meanwhile, group B was a less controversal affair, although crucially, the standard of cricket dramatically improved. In group A, none of the teams played their full 50-overs, and scores of around 150 were often winning totals. However, in the first match of group B, Laghman completed their full quota of overs in their win against Kaspia. The next day Paktika scored a huge 319-9 in 50-overs, but Nangarhar went even better the following day when they smashed a massive 341.
After an exciting two-wicket victory over Nangarhar, Laghman met Paktika, for a place in the semis. More than 10,000 fans turned up – which meant the ground was 9,500 over-capacity. Laghman won a see-sawing match by 39 runs to join Panjshir in the semi-finals.
One of the features of the tournament has been the excitable crowds, who, due to lack of security, have often disrupted play when celebrating wickets and boundaries by charging on to the field. Regrettably for these fans, they have not been able see any members of the national team in action. The ACB, perhaps wisely, have asked the players to rest for the World Cricket League Division One in early July. This request has not stopped some of the players attending, though.
Semi-finalists: Panjshir and Laghman
Already out: Helmand, Baghlan, Wardak, Balkh, Khost, Kapisa, Herat, Badakhshan, Nangarhar and Paktika
Teams yet to play:
Group C: Jowzjan, Logar, Kabul, Kunar and Ghazni
Group D: Noristan, Zabul, Parwan, Kunduz, Kandahar and Pakia
Laghman is a best team i love laghman players and pamir captincy is the best captincy i wish from PCB to give a chance to MR.Pamir for a Captincy of our international Cricket team
thanks at all
love you Pamir Khan
Salam to ALL Afghan Brother Enshahall Laghman will win Semi final vs panjishar ILOVE TO AFGHANISTAN AND I LOVE TO LAGHMAN WE LOVE WITH LAGHMAN LAGHMAN LAGHMAN OK OK OK LAGHMAN LAGGHMAN IS THE BEST TEAM OF THE CONTURY
Walaikum Salam . I am Gull Muhammad Niazi . I am from Green Laghman. We love Laghman Cricket team and we pray for u to win the semi final vs Panjishar. Try the best! Insha Allah u will win the semi final.
haha..Long live panjshir.. im sure they will win..Panjshir! hit them out! and you know how
salamona i love with laghman , cricket team of laghman panjshir never can beat laghman because laghamn have more than panjshir .
laghman have strong team
stupid panjshiri want beat laghman ?
HEY GUYS THERE IS ANOTHER TEAM COMING (PARWAN) THEY HAVE A MATCH ON COMING THURSDAY WAIT AND WATCH.
It was dark when I woke. This is a ray of snuhsnie.
Good luck for all. the best is always the best. this is the first time nation-wide games are going on, and the first time Afghanistan is playing newly admited game such as criket. so does not matter who is going to win but i am prety sure Laghman will get it, because they beat Nengrahar very badly. thanks
if our team was in this tournament . we will win this competition from the all teams of Afghanistan province . as we won panjshir team before they came to Afghanistan for the tournament . let me known all afghan brothers that our team is by the name of Afghan Untied n we r playing cricket in Pakistan n we won here 2 tournaments of t20 in Peshawar.
We proud by all players of Afghanistan that now they are able to have matches like other foreign countires i have seen much people in the ground that they are against each other it is not good attitutude it is a play not the ground of the fight and war but by my opinion Laghman will be the winner of the provincial tournament of Afghanistan due to its best performance.
Laghman zinda bad