Afghanistan needs help to build on Cricket World Cup success, Umar Gul says
The International Cricket Council (ICC) must increase funding to Afghanistan or risk reversing the success that brought them to the verge of the World Cup semifinals, according to the country’s former bowling coach Umar Gul.
Afghanistan face South Africa in Ahmedabad on Friday knowing a win will give them an outside chance of qualifying for the final four, although New Zealand will likely nab the last remaining spot over Pakistan and Afghanistan with a better run rate.
It has been a remarkable rise for a nation whose cricketing presence emerged only a little more than 20 years ago, with their first international appearance coming as recently as 2009.
“Afghanistan is the only associate team to improve a lot,” Gul told Al Jazeera.
“But they don’t have the finances to improve their cricket [further]. They don’t have sponsors.
“In a recent ICC board meeting, the Pakistan chairman and some others agreed to give them more money to help.
“But the ICC should increase their fees and agreement so they can improve their domestic structure and their players.”
At the 2019 World Cup in England, Afghanistan finished bottom of the group with nine defeats from nine games.
In their debut tournament in 2015, at that time a 14-team event, a one-wicket win with three balls remaining against Scotland handed them their only victory and saw them finish second bottom above their opponents.
This year’s World Cup started with a six-wicket defeat to Bangladesh in Dharamshala. Since then there has barely been any looking back – winning four and three thereafter.
Indeed, but for the individual brilliance of Glenn Maxwell, with an innings many regard as the finest in World Cup history, in Australia’s three-wicket win against Afghanistan on Tuesday, a semifinal spot really would feel like it was within reach.
“It’s all due to their will and dedication that they have improved a lot,” said Gul.
“In this World Cup they are looking like a totally different team: the way they are bonding, fielding and especially batting.
Former Pakistan fast bowler, Gul, spent a year as Afghanistan’s bowling coach alongside the still-current head coach, Jonathan Trott.
Gul, 41, says a huge amount of credit has to go to the former England batter for the improvement in the fortunes of the international team, who play and train out of the ICC Academy in Dubai.
“We must give credit to the coaches. Last year, Jonathan Trott and I joined the team and we must give credit to him – the way he is working and the way the boys are responding.
“The players are keen to win the matches and the best part is they are focusing on the day and the match and they are not looking ahead at the whole World Cup.
“They are playing as a unit and as a team and they are in the semifinal race.”
But for Gul, the domestic game needs to be supported more to ensure this is not merely a golden generation that fizzles out.
There was progress on the club level this year when Afghan sides Hindukush Strikers, Mah-e-Par Stars, Maiwand Champions and Pamir Legends played in the inaugural Ahmad Shah Abdali 4-day Tournament.
“[But] they don’t have that many facilities back at home,” Gul continued.
“They don’t have a proper domestic structure. Recently they just started the first-class season but they only have four teams.
