All roads lead to the famous Sharjah Cricket Stadium where ICC Intercontinental Cup champions Afghanistan and three-time former ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier (previously known as the ICC Trophy) winners Zimbabwe will square-off against each other in a five-match ODI series from Friday, 9 February.
The series between 10th-ranked Zimbabwe and 11th-ranked Afghanistan, who are separated by just two ranking points, is crucial as both sides are in Group B of the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2018 (to be played from 4-25 March) and are scheduled to meet in the tournament proper at the Queen’s Sports Club in Bulawayo on 6 March.
This means Afghanistan and Zimbabwe will not only aim to give final touches to their preparations in the Sharjah series, but will also aim to carry the winning momentum into the qualifiers, whose finalists will join defending champions Australia, Bangladesh, hosts England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka in the 10-team ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 in England and Wales from 30 May to 15 July.
The series in Sharjah, which has played host to 231 ODIs (76 more than its closest rival, Sydney Cricket Ground), will also see the return of Zimbabwe’s fast bowler Brian Vitori, as well as Afghanistan’s duo of Rashid Khan and Mohammad Shahzad.
Vitori was allowed to resume bowling in international cricket on 20 January after remedial work and an independent assessment found his bowling action to be legal, while Shahzad was allowed to return to international cricket on 17 January after serving a 12-month suspension for an anti-doping rule violation.
Rashid Khan, who was declared the ICC Associate Cricketer of the Year 2017, has been playing the shortest format of the game in Australia and also appeared in two T20Is earlier this week, but his last ODI for Afghanistan was in December 2017 against Ireland at the same venue.
Rival captains Asghar Stanikzai of Afghanistan and Graeme Cremer of Zimbabwe concurred that the Sharjah matches formed part of an overall strategic objective of qualifying for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, and also highlighted the significance and importance of the returning star players to their sides’ build-up and make-up for next month’s qualifier.
Asghar, commenting on the availability of Shahzad and Rashid, said: “Shahzad is an experienced player and has been part of the national side for the past eight years. His return will strengthen the batting line-up and because he is also excellent behind the stumps, his inclusion will give us more options and we will not have to play a separate opener and a wicketkeeper.
“Rashid Khan performed very well in Australia and he has been in good form. Besides, he is someone who always gives his 100 per cent. I am confident that the returns of Shahzad and in-form Rashid will help us to have a very good combination.”
Cremer welcomed Vitori in the squad and also mentioned Brendan Taylor and Kyle Jarvis, who resumed their Zimbabwe careers in October after having given up international cricket to pursue careers in English county cricket.
“I’m very pleased as a captain to have someone with Brian’s ability in my side. He is a true competitor. He brings great strength and versatility to our seam bowling attack, and we look forward to seeing him on the park again.
“Brendan and Kyle have settled nicely into the squad and they have been welcomed by all the team members. They form an important part of our team’s make-up, and we are hoping that they will play to the best of their abilities on this tour and in the qualifier,” said Cremer, who is the 25th ranked bowler in ODIs.
Asghar said his side was shaping up well for the qualifier and agreed that a strong opposition like Zimbabwe will further help his side.
“Every series is important for us and the upcoming series against Zimbabwe will be no different leading into the qualifier. Zimbabwe are tough and experienced opponents, and playing against them on the eve of such an important tournament is very helpful for the preparations.
“We have been in the UAE for the past four weeks, working hard on our weaknesses by playing practice matches against the local sides. The morale of the team is very high and the side is shaping up quite well.
“The series against Zimbabwe will be an excellent preparation for the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier, will allow us to build a good combination, provide us the opportunity to identify the areas of weaknesses, work on that and further develop the strengths and positives.”
Zimbabwe will go into the series against Afghanistan having featured in the 50-over tri-series in Bangladesh last month, where they defeated Sri Lanka in one of the pool matches.
Reflecting on the gains from the Bangladesh series, Cremer said: “One of the major positives from the Bangladesh series was probably the bowling. I feel we have moulded a good bowling unit. We also had glimpses of excellence with the bat, but we just need to get that to be more consistent. Our hunger to win games has also been great – everyone playing for each other on the park.
“As far as the series against Afghanistan goes, we will take it one game at a time and we would want to win every game if possible. We have not won a series against Afghanistan and we are looking to rectify that, and carry the momentum into the qualifiers.”
The two sides have played four series since 2014-15, with Afghanistan winning the last three by a margin of 3-2. The inaugural four-match series in Bulawayo had ended in a 2-all draw. Head-to-head, Afghanistan lead Zimbabwe by 11-8.
Squads:
AFGHANISTAN: Asghar Stanikzai (captain), Dawlat Zadran, Gulbadin Naib, Ihsanullah Janat, Javed Ahmadi, Mohammad Nabi, Mohammad Shahzad, Mujeeb Rahman, Najibullah Zadran, Nasir Jamal, Rahmat Shah, Rashid Khan, Samiullah Shinwari, Shahpoor Zadran and Sharafuddin Ashraf.
ZIMBABWE: Graeme Cremer (captain), Ryan Burl, Tendai Chatara, Tendai Chisoro, Craig Ervine, Kyle Jarvis, Hamilton Masakadza, Solomon Mire, Peter Moor, Blessing Muzarabani, Sikandar Raza, Brendan Taylor, Brian Vitori and Malcolm Waller
Upcoming ODIs:
Afghanistan v Zimbabwe series:
9 February – 1st ODI, Sharjah (d/n)
11 February – 2nd ODI, Sharjah (d/n)
13 February – 3rd ODI, Sharjah (d/n)
16 February – 4th ODI, Sharjah (d/n)
19 February – 5th ODI, Sharjah (d/n)
SA v India series:
10 February – 4th ODI, Johannesburg (d/n)
13 February – 5th ODI, Port Elizabeth (d/n)
16 February – 6th ODI, Centurion (d/n)
The ODI player rankings will be updated on 20 February, following the conclusion of the Afghanistan v Zimbabwe ODI series.
MRF Tyres ICC ODI Team Rankings (as on 8 February, after third ODI between South Africa and India, and before the start of Afghanistan v Zimbabwe series):
Rank Team Points
- India 122
- South Africa 118
- England 116
- New Zealand 115
- Australia 112
- Pakistan 96
- Bangladesh 90
- Sri Lanka 84
- Windies 76
- Zimbabwe 53
- Afghanistan 51
- Ireland 44
(Developed by David Kendix)
ABOUT THE ICC CRICKET WORLD CUP QUALIFIER 2018
- Queen’s Sports Club and Bulawayo Athletic Club in Bulawayo, Harare Sports Club and Old Hararians Sports Club in Harare and Kwekwe Sports Club, Kwekwe, will share 34 matches between them from 4 to 25 March, with Harare Sports Club staging the final. Warm-up matches will be played on 27 February and 1 March.
- The Windies, Ireland, the Netherlands, Papua New Guinea and winners of the ICC World Cricket League Division 2 make up Group A, while Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, Scotland, Hong Kong and runners-up of the ICC World Cricket League Division 2 form Group B
- The remaining two sides for the Zimbabwe tournament will be confirmed in Namibia from 8-15 February when Canada, Kenya, Namibia, Nepal, Oman and the United Arab Emirates will fight it out in the ICC World Cricket League Division 2
- Each side will play the other teams in their group once with the top three from the groups progressing to the Super Six stage. The teams each play three Super Six matches against the sides they did not meet in the group stage. All points won in the groups will be carried over to the Super Six stage apart from those gained against the bottom two from each group
- The finalists will both progress to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, whilst the Netherlands (ICC World Cricket League Championship winners) and the three highest finishing Associate Members will earn ODI status till 2022 upon the conclusion of the event
- The tournament started in 1979 and until 2005 was known as the ICC Trophy
- Four Test sides, Bangladesh (1997), Ireland (2009), Sri Lanka (1979), and Zimbabwe (1982, 1986 and 1990), have previously won the tournament. Other winners are the Netherlands (2001), Scotland (2005 and 2014) and United Arab Emirates (1994)
- The Netherlands and Papua New Guinea are the only sides who have featured in all tournaments since 1979
