Samiullah Shenwari

Afghanistan secured passage to their third consecutive ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier final after defeating Nepal by seven wickets in the first semi-final at the Zayed Cricket Stadium here today.

An impressive Afghanistan thump Zimbabwe by 59 runs in their do-or-die final first round Group B match at VCA stadium in Nagpur on Saturday to book a spot in the Super 10 stage.

Defending champions Afghanistan skittled Ireland out for 187 on the first day of the ICC Intercontinental Cup final in Dubai on Tuesday.

Skipper Asghar Stanikzai's crucial half-century, coupled with Samiullah Shenwari's 13-ball 31, the quickest for Afghanistan, got their side a useful 153/7, 106 of which came in final ten.

Afghanistan kept their hopes alive for a place in ICC World Cup 2019 when they defeated the West Indies by 3 wickets. Afghanistan restricted West Indies to 197 for 8 in 50 overs on a good batting surface and then achieved the target with 14 balls to spare.

There are other players like UAE's Shaiman Anwar who scored over 300 runs in the tournament, including a century against Ireland and two half-centuries against Pakistan and Zimbabwe.

A look at the underdogs of the 2015 ICC World Cup, who have shone bright and broken stereotypes of the game.

India suffered a shock 28-run defeat vs Afghanistan but still qualified for semifinals of ACC Emerging Teams Cup tournament for under-23 cricket teams.

Afghanistan pulled off a thriller to register a series-clinching win in the second T20I against Bangladesh here at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday night.

Lost in transition, defending champions Sri Lanka will look to come out of the rut and start well against a spirited Afghanistan in their World Twenty20 Super 10 opener at Eden Gardens on Thursday.

Rashid Khan on Tuesday produced another magical spell of spin bowling as Afghanistan wrapped up a six-wicket win over Bangladesh to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match T20 series.

Both Afghanistan and Bangladesh will get to know about each other before playing again in the Super Four stage. It's been two years since they last clashed in this format.

Cricket enthusiasts in Dehradun are eagerly waiting for Afghanistan and Bangladesh to battle it out in the second T-20 match on Tuesday

Electing to bat, Mohammad Shahzad (26) and Usman Ghani (19) made a solid start, sharing 55 runs off 46 balls for the opening stand before Bangladeshi bowlers struck twin blows in consecutive overs to put brakes on their opponents.

Having secured a place in the final of Asia Cup 2018 being played in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), India will take on the tenacious Afghanistan in their final 'Super Four' match on Tuesday.

Afghanistan would be aiming to spoil West Indies' party by registering their maiden win in the ICC World Twenty20 when they take on the 2012 champions in the penultimate match of Group 1 in Nagpur on Sunday.

Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan consolidated his position at the top of the ICC T20I Player Rankings after returning with 12 wickets from the just-concluded T20 international series against Bangladesh at Dehradun.

Rashid came to bowl in the 11th over and put his team in a strong position straightaway by removing the experienced Mushfiqur Rahim (20) and Sabbir Rahman (0) off his first two deliveries. Bangladesh could not recover from the blow and ended at 122 all out in response to Afghanistan's 167 for eight.

The battle for cricket supremacy in the Asian continent begins in the United Arab Emirates from September 15, with six teams vying for top honours in the tournament that will concluded with the final on September 28.