Best of the best :
Afghanistan on Thursday showed the world of cricket how to sail the boat in the turbulent sea, how to tow against the fierce current and how to finally reach ashore safely. From an extremely adverse condition of 97 for seven wickets, the Afghans registered their first ever win in the World Cup Cricket and thereby beat Scotland of the United Kingdom by one wicket in their Group A match and earned two valuable points. The war-torn nation will verily celebrate the victory firing gunshots in the sky.
Thus it is proved if there are determinations, concentration of mind on speech and physical fitness, even the ‘Tail Enders’ can make the impossible possible. We congratulate the Afghans for their creditable win.
The Afghanistan-Scotland match reminds us of that super encounter between the West Indies and Pakistan in 1975 in England. Set to score 266 to win, the Caribbeans at one stage lost their ninth wicket for 199 runs, and when every one was waiting for Pakistan’s victory, Andy Roberts and wicketkeeper Murray turned the table for the eventual champions, and Pakistan boarded into the next flight for Karachi.
Now it appears to us from the results of the matches so far held that Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and England are the main contestants for four quarterfinal spots from Group A; while India, South Africa, West Indies, Ireland or Zimbabwe from Group B have prospects to cruise into the next round from Group B. Former champions Pakistan wait for almost certain elimination. Bangladesh’s shameful defeat to Sri Lanka has made her game equation rather clumsy for a berth in the last four in the group.
Afghanistan on Thursday showed the world of cricket how to sail the boat in the turbulent sea, how to tow against the fierce current and how to finally reach ashore safely. From an extremely adverse condition of 97 for seven wickets, the Afghans registered their first ever win in the World Cup Cricket and thereby beat Scotland of the United Kingdom by one wicket in their Group A match and earned two valuable points. The war-torn nation will verily celebrate the victory firing gunshots in the sky.
Thus it is proved if there are determinations, concentration of mind on speech and physical fitness, even the ‘Tail Enders’ can make the impossible possible. We congratulate the Afghans for their creditable win.
The Afghanistan-Scotland match reminds us of that super encounter between the West Indies and Pakistan in 1975 in England. Set to score 266 to win, the Caribbeans at one stage lost their ninth wicket for 199 runs, and when every one was waiting for Pakistan’s victory, Andy Roberts and wicketkeeper Murray turned the table for the eventual champions, and Pakistan boarded into the next flight for Karachi.
Now it appears to us from the results of the matches so far held that Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and England are the main contestants for four quarterfinal spots from Group A; while India, South Africa, West Indies, Ireland or Zimbabwe from Group B have prospects to cruise into the next round from Group B. Former champions Pakistan wait for almost certain elimination. Bangladesh’s shameful defeat to Sri Lanka has made her game equation rather clumsy for a berth in the last four in the group.
Abdullah Akber
Dhaka
