(Transcript from World News Australia Radio)
Excitement over qualification for the World Cup for the first time is so intense, the game is said to have overtaken football as the most popular sport in the country.
The team had just recorded a crushing win against Kenya in the World Cricket League Championships, giving it qualification for its first One Day International World Cup.
Thousands of ecstatic fans, singing and dancing, lined the streets, and crowded inside the Kabul Cricket Stadium, once used by the Taliban for carrying out executions.
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Dr Noor Muhammad Murad is the CEO of the Afghan Cricket team.
He says there were already 5,000 cricket clubs across the country, but the team's qualification for the World Cup has caused a surge in support for the sport.
"Currently there are 280,000 participants and we are expecting that it will be 1.5 million by the end of 2013 because recently we have been receiving a lot of requests for the clubs, those who want to register in their respective provinces. And it's not only a sport in Afghanistan, it's the biggest youth project in Afghanistan and we believe that through this game we can engage thousands of youth in Afghanistan. And we can promote education. That's why the Minister of Education has signed an MOU with us so it will also be part of the curriculum."
The Afghan cricket team's coach, Kabir Khan, says the sport has already had a positive effect on the lives of many Afghan people.
And he says the team players feel honoured to offer a positive story about Afghanistan, in contrast to the continuous tragic news coming out of the country.
"The boys, the clear message from them which they always say is that they want to prove to the world that obviously there is not only negativity coming out of Afghanistan. They want to show their flag up in the world of flags and give the message to the world that there's a lot of positives in the country and there's a lot of positive talent in the country. Afghanistan is not only war. It can do much better than war or much better than negative news which is spread in the world."
And it's not only Afghans who praise the progress of the national cricket team.
John Harnden is the Australian CEO of the 2015 Cricket World Cup.
"We're absolutely delighted. We think it's such a great, positive achievement for the team and the country as well as the fans. They have done an amazing job over the last five years in world cricket and to see that they're now on the world's biggest stage is a great reward for all that effort. What it shows I think are the pure essence of sport about people wanting to participate, people against the odds achieving and using everything at their disposal, including working as a team to be successful. It's about human endeavour and wanting to succeed and compete against the best."
Most sports were banned in Afghanistan under Taliban rule from 1996 until 2001.
But the CEO of the Afghan cricket team, Noor Muhammad Murad, says cricket was one sport that the Taliban encouraged.
Dr Murad rejects any fears about the future of the sport, if the Taliban regain power after the withdrawal of most foreign troops from Afghanistan next year.
"It's a game which has been very well accepted at a community level. So far we are facing no such an issue. Religiously it's also a very good game for us because the clothing of the game makes us very well accepted at a community level because it has a full dress clothing and our boys can also offer their prayers during the game. So it will not affect us if any government comes. Their mentality will not affect hopefully the game or the popularity of this game. It will still be the most popular game in this country."
Coach Kabir Khan says Afghanistan won't just go to the World Cup for the experience.
He says the team will be aiming to win some matches, or at least to be a tough opponent.
Mr Khan says although the team's international matches have been limited so far, they have helped in preparations for the World Cup.
"For the boys, the fear of cameras, the fear of crowds and the pressure of the high quality professionals they're going to play against, I think they should be comfortable with it now. They would have overcome all those pressures now because they've been a part of World Cups. But obviously the next step is to perform at the World Cup. We are saying that we don't want to just go out there and play in the tournament or just participate in it. We want to go on a high note and we want to perform there. I'll be happy as a coach if we go there and if we play our fullest and if we give them 100 per cent and if we give them a tough fight in the game."
One concern expressed by Afghan sports officials is the lack of opportunity for practice against the more experienced national teams.
The CEO of the 2015 Cricket World Cup, John Harnden, recognises this is an issue, but blames a busy competition schedule.
Despite that, Mr Harnden says no side will take Afghanistan lightly.
"Obviously it's a busy competition schedule for cricket all around the year but there's no doubt I know that the ICC is keen for Afghanistan to be as well prepared as possible coming into February and March 2015. I think if they keep going along the path they've been going today, they've been very successful, they've been very focused, they look like they've got a great team spirit and I think if they keep doing that, they might be surprised where they end up."
In the 2015 World Cup, Afghanistan's competitors in Pool A will include the joint hosts, Australia and New Zealand, as well as England, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh.
Afghanistan will play its first World Cup match against Bangladesh in Canberra.
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