Afghanistan create history, break into ICC top 10 ODI rankings

The Afghanistan cricket team broke into the top 10 in the International Cricket Council One-Day International (ODI) rankings for the first time after a thumping 49-run win in their first match against Zimbabwe.

After bowling out Afghanistan for a measly 131, courtesy of a five-wicket haul by Graeme Cremer, Zimbabwe were to coast home comfortably.

But Zimbabwe then lost their last seven wickets for just 35 runs to be bowled out in the 31st over.

Bowler Amir Hamza was the star for Afghanistan with four wickets.

“The captain told me to bowl wicket-to-wicket and if an opportunity is there, don’t miss out”, Hamza told cricinfo.com.

“We have been here for a week, we have trained”.

How bad was Zimbabwe’s performance was evident from the fact that skipper Chigumbura’s 28 was their innings highest individual score.

The win followed Afghanistan’s 3-2 victory in the ODI series in Zimbabwe in October. “It’s about how you play the spinners”. Starting from the debut in the ICC Cricket World cup, to remarkable series wins on foreign soil, the team is now enjoying a magnificent period that they would barely like to stop prior to another mega event, ICC World T20 2016.

Afghanistan started off 2015 with the Dubai Triangular Series in United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Opener Noor Ali Zadran contributed the majority of the runs and scored 63 runs from 82 balls by hitting 8 fours.