Afghans AYCA defeat Pakistans Korangi club in Cricket

[Admin Khan]

The AYCA Afghanistan cricket team won the Dr. M.A. Shah Lephone Night Trophy 2010 competition, also known as the Ramadan Cup on Monday night in Karachi, Pakistan.
After an unfortunate loss to the Korangi Cricket Club by 3 wickets, they scored back to back victories to win the whole competition.
First they defeated the Malir Gymkhana Cricket Club by 5 wickets. Then they made it two in row by defeating the Mullakatiar Cricket Club by 2 wickets & 147 runs. This put them in the quarter finals. In their quarter final match, they faced off against one of the favorites in the competition, the Pakistan Cricket Club. They beat them by 8 wickets and placed themselves in a semi-final match against the Pak Korangi Cricket Club. This team was no match for the Afghans as well, as they were defeated by 6 wickets. Finally, the Afghans faced off against the A.O Blues Cricket Club and defeated them by 6 wickets and 61 runs in the final match to become the champions of the competition.
Thousands of fans attended the event and it was also broadcasted live in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The organizers of the event announced that cars, motorcycles and cash prizes will be given out to the winning team as well as to the best performing players.





hi, I am the source.

[Yousafzai Pakhtun]

Yea .....but the one they defeated it the final has also 2 famous experienced international players.....i.e Rana Naveed and Imran Nazir

[KhalsaWarrior]

My congratulation to AYCA team. Can anybody post videos of the guy the called the Afghan 'Sehwag'? I heard he belted the Pak bowlers all around the park.

And here's a good write up on the game -

Kabul’s ‘Sehwag’ wins it for Afghan Youth

by Taimur Sikander on 09 7th, 2010 | Comments (10)


Their names may be obscure and likening them to their idols may be the only way to get people to notice them but Afghanistan’s young stars are gradually developing an identity for themselves with dazzling displays on the sidelines of top-tier cricket.
Their latest triumph has not come against an international giant – rather, in a prestigious club-level tournament in Pakistan. But it is special nonetheless, for it represents the country’s emergence as a serious cricket playing nation powered by youth. It is also symbolic since most of the Afghans that made up the Afghan Youth Cricket Academy (AYCA) side have learnt their skills in Pakistan. It must be a matter of great pride that these upstarts have turned a corner and managed to beat their own mentors!
AYCA was definitely the top draw in the annual Dr. M.A Shah Twenty20 Night Trophy even with some of the dozen or so local clubs employing current and former Pakistan internationals among their ranks. They lived up to their billing as the most exciting and mysterious side in the event but no one expected them to take the trophy home on Monday night. AYCA took on the AO Blues, a team that included Pakistan stars Imran Nazir and Rana Naveed, after a surprisingly comfortable run up to the final.
The setting at the Asghar Ali Shah Stadium seemed more Kabul than Karachi with traditional Afghan drum beats resonating from the place. Batsman Mohammad Shahzad, Kabul’s ‘Sehwag’ was definitely tuned in as he smashed all-bowlers including Rana as AYCA batted first. He scored 59 in rapid time and was well supported by Asghar Stanikzai (43) en route to a total of 159. The large crowd, thousands of Afghani immigrants including young girls and children who live in Karachi, performed the traditional dance and were as boisterous as any of their subcontinent counterparts. They waved flags, the tri-colours stitched up together hurriedly it seemed for no one anticipated AYCA to reach the final. Even the heavy presence of security personal at the venue failed to dampen the spirits of the Afghans with thousands more fans waiting outside to get in as the police and paramilitary rangers struggled to prevent any crowd surges. An LED screen was also put up in Sohrab Goth, an area made predominantly of Pakhtuns to accommodate some of the fans.
In reply, AO Blues were completely outwitted by the Afghans who bowled attacking, beguiling spells and eventually saw their team stroll to a 61-run win. Hamid Hassan, a fast bowler in the mould of Umar Gul, proved every bit as effective as the Pakistan star and picked up three wickets with his searing, full-length deliveries in one over. This was followed by light, celebratory gun-fire outside the vicinity of the ground where people had crowded with Afghan flags. “After soccer, cricket is our new passion, it unites,” said one Afghan fan.
The scenes as the final wicket was taken and AYCA crowned the winners were extraordinarily uplifting. The crowd stormed the pitch momentarily, embracing the players who made a desperate attempt to escape. The Afghan players, some overwhelmed by the occasion held their head in their hands, while other hugged and kissed the flag.
In the end two things were clear: one, these young stars would surely be a force in the coming years. And two, if they were to play Pakistan in Karachi one could expect sell out crowds which could be useful given the lack of international cricket in Pakistan.
Taimur Sikander is a sports editor at Dawn.com

[Da_Kunar_Ghro]

Its good to know that we're defeating people without violence.

[Aryob]

LOL. The entire team is Pashtun, the coach is Pashtun and the ACB director Pashtun.

The director, manager, CEO, the president (Minister of finance) they are all corrupt pashtuns who only hire and favour their own family members and tribesmen. Afghanistan cricket is gonna be in a big mess like Pakistan cricket pretty soon.

[Aryob]

what isn't true? where's many tribes? ??

[Aryob]

can you name me any player besides samiullah shinwari to be from that tribe in the national team or U19? its not about tribalism i'm talking about right now. I am saying the heads of Afghan cricket board are corrupt people. I don't care which province/tribe they belong to.

[amna.]

Aryob based on what do you say they are corrupted?

[Master Khan]

Afghanistan can beat Pakistan team...someone will just pay the Pakistani team and they accept the money and thats

[KhalsaWarrior]

We will beat them with talent. our entire team is full of Pashtuns. do you know how strong we Pashtuns are?

Shlombay, I know that you are very proud of the Afghan team and also that Pakistani team is going through a very bad time right now. But IMHO, Pakistan is too strong for Afghanistan. 9 times out of 10, Pak will win against Afghanistan. Talent and strength alone cant win you games.

[KhalsaWarrior]

If talent and strength cant win you games what does win you games? Rishwat?

Lol. No my dear friend, expereince against top-class opposition. Pakistani players have been playing top-flight cricket with tougher opposition for far too long. Afghanistan players have come up playing against Tier B countries in the ICC trophy. Give them some time against the Test playing nations and maybe then they can beat anybody. But right now, I dont think so.

[KhalsaWarrior]

We have talent Khalsa wrora, Pashtuns are known to be talented just like how singhs are known to be talented.

We need cricket fields and give us 5 years. We will give any country the 6s of their life.

I definitely hope so. International cricket hasn't seen a dynamic new entrant for far too long. Bangladesh joined with much fanfare but their performance and rise has been largely disappointing.

Just dont follow your neighbors to the letter. Play consistent, avoid distractions in money and women and the world will bow.

[KhalsaWarrior]

We need your support Khalsa. we need you to build us fields so we can play on them.

Ahh definitely. Though I assume for GoI, other aid initiatives might take precedence over sporting activities. But India can definitely help build good cricket grounds. Actually BCCI (Indian cricket's governing body) can easily sponsor the Afghan cricket team and bear thei training and travelling expenses for an year. They are the richest body in the world and contribute to about 80% of ICC's annual revenues.

[amna.]

Guys this team Afghans defeated had international Paki players.

Yes Imran Nazir and others played.

[KhalsaWarrior]

Afghanistan is a country of Afghans.

Dear Khalsa,

Afghans internationally have defeated all the nations in Asia for Basketball. All the New Yorker Kandaharis went and joined the team and these tall Kandaharis especially one of my best friend who is 7'1 destroyed team India and Pakistan and we won the cup.

If this is what we did in Basketball, Tae Kwand do, many other sports, I have hope we will repeat history in cricket too.

I was happy about Afghanistan winning the SAF Basketball cup. And you are right they defeated both India and Pakistan along the way. I agree Pashtuns are physically powerful and athletic by nature. That mountain air and hardy disposition as certainly helped you guys.

But a word of caution, dont expect things too soon from the cricket team. Cricket is a little different from contact sports like soccer, bb, or taekwondo. Its more focussed on technique and skill. I am not saying Afghans dont have that but those things come with time. As i said earlier, the best thing for the Afghan players would be to get as much exposure against top ranked teams as possible. And also if possible players could play in English counties or Indian IPL teams. You a learn a lot by playing with and against better players.