The Afghan national cricket team has won the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Intercontinental Cup 2017 after beating the United Arab Emirates by 10 wickets and exit the Championship as Champions.
2017 will be remembered for all good Cricketing reasons in Afghanistan for @ACBofficials.
Congrats to the entire nation for winning the #ICCICUP17 tournament. The blue tigers played in this tournament like a real Champions.@EklilHakimi @MashalAtif @WillGlenwright @SadatNaderi— Shafiq Stanikzai (@ShafiqStanikzai) December 2, 2017
After the seventh and last round of matches in the 2015/2017 Intercontinental Cup cycle, Afghanistan finished on top of the eight-team table with 121 points, while Ireland settled for the second spot with 109 points. Both the teams had exited from the WCL Championship in 2016.
After Rohan Mustafa and Chirag Suri’s defiant 146-run opening stand after UAE were asked to follow-on, Afghanistan made inroads regularly following their dismissals to bowl out UAE for 331 in 100.3 overs in their 2nd innings to get a target of only 18 runs to win the match.
Afghanistan beat @EmiratesCricket by 10 wickets to win the @ICC Intercontinental Cup 2015-2017 pic.twitter.com/hVaKxyTt8v
— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) December 2, 2017
Rashid Khan took 5/83 in the 2nd innings with Mohammad Nabi and Zahir Khan taking two wickets apiece.
Afghanistan openers did not take much time as they reached 21/0 with Ihsanullah and Javed Ahmadi taking the team to victory and the Championship.
Congratulations to Afghanistan on winning the #ICup trophy! 🏆
They chase down their winning total of 19 to beat the UAE by ten wickets! pic.twitter.com/7fKHTdOgCh
— ICC (@ICC) December 2, 2017
Afghanistan thus claimed their 2nd Intercontinental Cup trophy and now head for a possible test debut in 2018.
