Afghanistan will put up a good show in World T20 2012: Nawroz Mangal

Afghanistan team skipper Nawroz Mangal has expressed confidence in his side, claiming they are an improved unit as compared to their team during the last ICC Word T20 in 2009-2010, and will put up a good show in the 2012 edition of the tournament, as they kick off their campaign with a match against India, due to be played today on September19, at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

“It is a learning phase for us and coming into this World Twenty20, the expectations are quite high,” Mangal said. “Everyone is saying Afghanistan is capable of creating an upset. We will put up a good show to prove that we belong to this stage.”

“India is a big team. We are very excited and looking forward to this game ... you will see a different team from what we were in the last World Twenty20,” he added. “We rate ourselves highly. Boys have done brilliantly since last World Twenty20. We have much improved cricketers now in the team, bowling, batting or fielding.”

Counted among the ICC’s top Affiliate members, Afghanistan, identified as a team with enormous potential, have been on the look-out for opportunities to prove themselves at the international level. Having played a total of 23 ODIs, out of which they have won 12, the team has managed to attain ODI status which will be valid until 2013.

The Afghan team established their reputation as an up and coming side when they managed to qualify for the ICC World Twenty20 2009-10. While they were unable to proceed very far in the tournament, they played their first two matches against Test-level teams – India and South Africa.

Having lost both encounters, the team was knocked out of the competition, but the year 2012 saw them playing two more matches against ICC Full Member teams – this time, ODIs against Pakistan, and Australia. In addition to their experiences against top-level sides, the Afghan team also breezed through the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier in March this year, winning all their matches, barring the final against Ireland, which they lost by 5 wickets.

The 2012 edition sees Afghanistan placed in a difficult pool, against formidable opponents India and England. However, the increased experience and improvement in performances since their last World T20 campaign, in addition to the abundance of match practice (Mangal’s men won the Trinidad Quadrangular T20 they played in early September, in addition to playing World T20 warm-up matches against Sri Lanka A and the West Indies), suggest that the team has a better chance this time around.