Ireland and Afghanistan Test Watch (2018-2023)

[Jemisi]

The Irish did keep the pressure up for longer. Afghans helped make the case with their performances, though. The good news rise of the Afghans has kept Ireland on the map at times even when they have been flat.

[Kriterion_BD]

Afghans name 4 spinners in their squad to play their inaugural Test. Should be a festive occaision as the Eid festival will be right around the time of the Test.

But their only decent seam bowler, Dawlat is out with an injured knee. The rest of their seamers - at least those we've seen so far - have all be 125 kph trundlers. I guess Hamid Hassan's career is over given he didn't play in the all important Qualifiers or make the squad for the debut Test.

[sloandog]

Yea where the devil is Hamid Hassan? I loved watching him bowl in the 2015 CWC with his face paint on. Had some wheels as well

[Kriterion_BD]

Yea where the devil is Hamid Hassan? I loved watching him bowl in the 2015 CWC with his face paint on. Had some wheels as well

Looks like he's done. He was the Afghan Mortaza, except that he was even more injury-prone. Their only other good seamer who bowls quicker than the dibbly dobbers (Mirwais, Gulbadin, Naveen, Karim Janat) is Dawlat, and he's already been ruled out of the Test match. So it will be all spinners (world class) + a pace attack that even 2000 era Bangladesh would be embarassed by.

[Jemisi]

That is an interesting mix.

[jaybro]

Ireland to play England at Lords next year

[Kriterion_BD]

Ireland to play England at Lords next year

Another 4 dayer...ie a glorified first class match. Disappointing, would one extra days play hurt England that much???

[CrimsonAvenger]

They have found a new way to disrespect smaller teams. So why not use it?

[cricket_22001]

So the gloves are off for the India v Afghan test. Asghar Stanikzai trying to deliver the first verbal blow by labelling his spinners better than India's. Coach Phil Simmons was a little more circumspect acknowledging that all his team are untried at test level.
Possibly more.
Afghanistan have played 2 full first class tourmaments since late 2017. But Stanikzai, Mohammed Shehzad & Rahmat Shah. didn't lace a boot for either tournaments. This is as opposed to Nasir Jamal who played the last 4 rounds of the recent tournament after the WCQ. Yes, he was part of the squad.
Rashid Khan, Mujeeb & Mohammad Nabi were in the IPL & Zahir Khan would have been apart from injury. Javed Ahmadi & Ihsanullah played 1 & 2 matches respectively.
So, the core unit of the Afghan side has had little longer format cricket in the lead up to this test.
Maybe this is where I don't get it. Maybe those endless training camps filled with meaningless wickets & runs where dropped catches & missed stumpings don't matter is the real deal.
Anyway, I wish them the best of luck & I find it exciting when a new country plays the big boys.

[jaybro]

Afghanistan need a rank turner to be any chance in this Test match. The shorter the game the more chance of an upset.

If it's a road of a wicket than India will bat them out of it, the Afghan guys will get themselves out.

The only way I can see Afghanistan win is if it's one of those games where neither side can get past 180 runs per innings, then it comes down to a guy like Nabi or Shahzad just blasting a quick fire 60 to turn the game.

Very unlikely but these Afghanis will be going into the game looking to win, they only know that way