- The ongoing T20 cricket World Cup jointly organized by the United States of America and the Caribbean Islands will be over while you browse through this article. The first leg of the tournament was played in the USA where the pitches on offer were not conducive for the shortest format of the game. However, with the bowlers in real action from the usual marauding that they undergo in the T20 format, the contest between the bat and ball turned out to be fascinating. The batters simply could not dominate the bowlers as they usually do in the batter-friendly format. The pitches and the conditions on offer ensured the bowlers had a bigger say in the initial part of the World Cup. The bandwagon subsequently shifted to the Caribbean Islands.
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- Yes, the biggest surprise during the initial round was how the USA qualified for the Super 8s by defeating the much-fancied Team Pakistan along the way. Cricket connoisseurs and fans alike are aware of how Team Pakistan can be extremely unpredictable on any given day. However, Pakistan’s failure to qualify for the Super 8s must have disappointed scores of fans. Nonetheless, the rest of the more accomplished teams qualified for the next stage without much ado. Cricket experts and fans must have noticed how Team Afghanistan has made steady progress over the last few years in white ball cricket. During last year’s 50-over World Cup, Team Afghanistan did put up stupendous performances upsetting some of the more established teams in the bargain.
- In the ongoing tournament, Team Afghanistan has not only reached the semifinals but also defeated the multiple champions Team Australia as well. This is their first victory over a big team like the team from Down Under. Not only that, but the Afghan team also defeated Bangladesh in a virtual quarterfinal to reach the semis. We are aware of how the situation back in Afghanistan is with the advent of the Taliban administration. The war-ravaged people struggling to lead a dignified life under the extremely suppressive regime must be overwhelmed by the way Team Afghanistan has displayed its prowess in reaching the last four stages of the prestigious ICC event. People must be feeling happy to see how their team has performed on a global stage amid crises.
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- The indomitable spirit of Team Afghanistan gets amplified by the composition of an extremely talented bunch of cricketers who are not only thoroughly professional but also possess a never-say-die approach to clinch a contest. To be fair to the Afghan team, let us not call its win over the Aussies an upset. It belittles the years of hard work, blood, sweat, and tears of the Afghan team in reaching where it has reached now. This augurs good for the sport in particular and also shows what a dedicated bunch of talented cricketers can achieve on such a big platform to proclaim loud and clear that they belong here. It is also concerning that Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and the West Indies are struggling to up their game. But for now, Team Afghanistan deserves a loud shout-out.
