Afghanistan pip UAE to qualify for World Twenty20

Afghanistan 101 for 6 (Noor Ali 38*, Stanikzai 26, Silva 2-14, Fayyaz 2-14) beat UAE 100 for 9 (Saqib 24, Nabi 3-17, Mirwais 2-15) by 4 wickets.

Scorecard

With their fairytale mission resting on the game, Afghanistan held their nerve to overcome a tenacious UAE side in a low-scoring thriller and take their place in the World Twenty20 that starts in May.

Rarely has an Associate competition inspired so much emotion as people from around the world willed Afghanistan on through the tournament. Their defeat to the Netherlands yesterday brought back bitter memories of Afghanistan's near-miss on qualification for the 50-over World Cup, but today there was no mistake.

Their win was crafted on a number of useful contributions, rather than an outstanding individual but on a tired surface Noor Ali's unbeaten 38, to guide his side home in a tense run chase, must be one of the most important innings in Afghanistan's history.

Asked to field first by home captain Khuuram Khan in front of a big crowd, Afghanistan settled into the contest immediately. The new-ball pair of Mirwais Ashraf and Shapoor Zadran have been important in giving Afghanistan control early and unlike yesterday, when they bowed under the pressure of the Netherlands' batsmen, the pair responded well. Within four overs UAE were restricted to 11 for 3, with Ashraf claiming two wickets and Zadran getting the important scalp of Afran Haider, who after a couple of dot balls slashed one straight down the throat of third man.

UAE have proved throughout the tournament that they are a resilient side and Abdul Rahman and Saqib Ali, who played so well against Ireland, set about undoing the early damage with 42-run stand. Having taken the score to 53 for 3 in just over 10 overs, Rahman got a grubber from Mohammed Nabi, that scuttled along the ground from a short length, straight into middle stump. Ali fell two overs later, having made a patient 24 and it was left to Naeemuddin Aslam to shepherd as many as he could from the tail. Nabi and Hamid Hassan, Afghanistan's specialist death bowler, prevented any hopes UAE may have had of pushing beyond 100 with tight and penetrating bowling. Nabi ended with 3 for 17 and Hassan 2 for 23, as UAE posted what looked to be a below-par total.

At this stage, Afghanistan would have backed themselves to coast home but they lost two wickets within the first four overs with only 16 on the board. Karim Sadiq and Mohammad Shahzad were both bowled by Shadeep Silva from deliveries that kept low and it was left to captain Nowroz Mangal to join Noor Ali to try and steady the ship. The pair carefully recovered the situation, running hard to add 32 important runs in six overs. When Mangal was out, trying to slog Fayyaz Ahmed over long on, for 14, his side needed 53 in 10 overs and the game was Afghanistan's to lose.

Ali continued to work the ball around well and found a willing partner in Asghar Stanikzai. They calmly pushed the score to 88, before Stanikzai needlessly tried to smash Ahmed over long off and was caught. It set nerves fluttering but in the 19th over, with 13 still needed, Ali swatted a short ball through midwicket for his only boundary of the innings, and followed it up with a two and another single. Nabi was bowled, deceived by a slower ball, but Samiullah Shenwari swept his first ball for four to leave just one needed from the final over.

Fittingly, it was Ali who secured the winning moment, chipping over mid off to cue celebrations that will continue all the way to the Caribbean.

He was named man of the match and is now eagerly looking forward to testing his skills against the top sides. "It has always been our dream to qualify and play in a World Cup. We missed out on the 50-over Cricket World Cup last year, so I am very happy we will play in the Twenty20 event," he said. "It is our dream to play against the best teams and have the chance to play against fast bowlers like Dale Steyn or Ishant Sharma. We will prepare ourselves very well for this event and we need to keep on getting better ahead of the World Twenty20."

Netherlands seal four-wicket win

Netherlands 132 for 6 (Kervezee 39, Nabi 3-23) beat Afghanistan128 for 9 (Ahmadzai 23, Jonkman 2-23) by four wickets.

Scorecard

Afghanistan's dream of a place at the World Twenty20 was placed on standby after their defeat to Netherlands at Dubai International stadium. Put in to bat in an electric atmosphere with a crowd of well over 2,500, Afghanistan were restricted to 128 for 9, with several batsmen making starts but none able to push on for a big score. Alexei Kervezee and Eric Szwarczynski got the chase off to a flier, and Netherlands weathered a late fightback from Mohammad Nabi and Hamid Hassan to register a tense four-wicket win.

Afghanistan had to be on top of their game in the field after posting such a modest total, but they let themselves down with several fielding and bowling lapses to allow Netherlands to take control. Mohammad Shahzad, the wicketkeeper, put down a chance in the first over of Netherlands' chase, and the 18 extras given away did nothing to help Afghanistan's attempts to restrict the scoring. In the tense closing moments of the game, Shapoor Zadran's casual attempt at a catch let Ryan ten Doeschate, the last recognised batsman at the crease, off the hook and he lofted Hassan over mid on three balls later to seal the win.

Zadran's economical opening spells have been one of the vital ingredients in Afghanistan's success in this tournament so far. He leaked runs against Ireland, but gave away just 21 runs in eight overs against Scotland and USA. Admittedly, he would have been frustrated by the missed chance off his third ball today, but he was unforgivably wayward thereafter, giving away four boundaries in his opening spell.

Kervezee provided most of the momentum as Netherlands raced to 64 in under nine overs, but when he was bowled around his legs sweeping at Nabi, Afghanistan sniffed a chance for an unlikely comeback. Nabi held on to a stinging return catch to get rid of Szwarczynski in his next over, and when Bas Zuiderent was trapped in front by Samiullah Shenwari for two, Netherlands had slipped to 74 for 3. Daan van Bunge eased the pressure with a towering six over long off, but when he was dismissed attempting to repeat the shot, the nerves set in.

Hassan has been a talisman for Afghanistan bowling at the death in this format, but without the weight of runs to put pressure on the opposition's batsmen, his effectiveness was limited in this game. As a proven wicket-taker he was also introduced a little too late, when only 39 runs were required off 48 balls. After Peter Borren's senseless run out, Hassan rattled Atse Buurman's stumps with a searing yorker second ball, but ten Doeschate drew on his experience - and took advantage of a dropped catch - to guide Netherlands home with seven balls to spare.

ten Doeschate was named Man of the Match for his efforts, which included Nabi's wicket when Afghanistan batted. That dismissal was the third of the innings, after a double strike by Mark Jonkman, as Afghanistan slipped from 30 without loss to 32 for 3. Jonkman has built up a reputation as one of the quickest bowlers outside the Test arena, but he also exhibited a well-disguised slower ball to bowl Nowroz Mangal for 10.

Confused calling then led to Mohammad Shahzad's run out to reduce Afghanistan to 51 for 4. Raees Ahmadzai collected two fours in his 23 - the highest score of the innings - but after his dismissal wickets fell at regular intervals as Afghanistan slipped to 92 for 7. Ashraf aimed two massive strikes over long on to lift the score in the closing overs, but it was probably 20 runs short of the total Afghanistan needed.

Netherlands will be buoyed by this result, which gives them two valuable points ahead of their second encounter against Ireland tomorrow. Afghanistan carried two points into this round courtesy of their win over Ireland in the group stage, so after today's loss have a winner-takes-all game against UAE, who lost to Ireland.

Afghanistan beat USA as fairytale World Twenty20 entry looms

Afghanistan (135-4 off 20 overs) beat United States (106-7) by 29 runs.

Afghanistan, cheered on by a vocal crowd of over 1,000 in Dubai, have secured a place in the Super Fours stage of the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifiers with a 29-run victory over the United States.

Starting slowly, Afghanistan scored just 19 runs from their first five overs and lost opener Mohammad Shahzad without scoring.

Partner Noor Ali hit three successive fours off first change bowler Imran Awan but was run out in Awan's next over. Captain Nowroz Mangal (30) was also run out. But their top five regrouped and managed to post 135-4 off their 20 overs.

The US tried to adopt a similar approach but Nabi and Hamid Hassan, who took four wickets in the previous game against Scotland, ensured wickets fell at regular intervals and the runs dried up. Hassan finished with a tidy spell of 3-14 in his four overs while Nabi ended on 2-22.

Afghanistan now join hosts United Arab Emirates, who have already qualified for the next stage.

The US opened the tournament with a win over Scotland but followed that up with consecutive losses to Group A rivals Ireland and Afghanistan.

If Scotland beat Ireland, all three teams will be locked on two points each with net run-rate deciding which team qualifies with Afghanistan.

In Group B, UAE beat Canada by 42 runs for its third consecutive victory and will be joined in the Super Fours by one of Kenya or Netherlands.

Afghanistan secure second win

Afghanistan 131 for 7 (Noor Ali 42, Coetzer 3-25) beat Scotland 117 for 9 (McCallum 38, Hassan 3-32) by 14 runs.

Scorecard

Afghanistan continued their seemingly inexorable march to the World Twenty20 with a 14-run win over Scotland at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Noor Ali's blistering 42, when wickets were falling around him, provided the early impetus in Afghanistan's 131 for 7 and Shapoor Zadran's remarkable bowling - he conceded just eight runs in four overs - held Scotland at bay to ensure Afghanistan an all but certain passage into the Super Fours.

Scotland's decision to field this morning appeared to have paid dividends when Gordon Drummond picked up Karim Sadiq and Shafiqullah in his first over, but Ali was unperturbed and crashed four fours and a six in his 42. With his partner striking the ball so cleanly, Mohammad Shahzad could afford to play a more sedate innings. His 30 contained just a single boundary, but he rotated the strike well in the 71-run partnership.

Kyle Coetzer grabbed three quick wickets - including the hero of yesterday's game, Mohammad Nabi, first ball - to peg Afghanistan back, and when Samiullah Shenwari picked out Gavin Hamilton off Jan Stander in the 19th over, Afghanistan were struggling at 116 for 7. But a late surge from Raees Ahmadzai and Mirwais Ashraf took the score past 130 and gave Afghanistan's bowlers a decent total to defend.

Scotland would have been hoping for a positive start to their chase, but Navdeep Poonia fell second ball to Ashraf, and Zadran proved almost impossible to get away in his opening spell. When Kyle Coetzer's painful innings ended on the first ball of the fifth over, he had struggled to two from 15 balls. Hamilton and Neil McCallum clawed their way back with a 66-run partnership for the third wicket, but when they were both dismissed in consecutive balls, Afghanistan had found their opening.

Hamid Hassan bowled Jan Stander and Fraser Watts, and when Drummond and Simon Smith fell to Mohammad Nabi in the penultimate over, Scotland's hopes were extinguished. Hassan shattered Majid Haq's stumps with the last ball of the innings to seal an emphatic victory, sending Scotland crashing out of contention and Afghanistan almost certainly through to the next round.

If they beat the USA and Scotland defeats Ireland, then the USA, Scotland and Ireland will be locked on two points each with net run-rate deciding which team joins Afghanistan in the Super Four stage from Group A.