AFGHANISTAN WILL be playing today (Friday) their 1st One day International Cricket Match against mighty Pakistan at Sharjah. The war-ravaged country joined the International Cricket Council in 2009 when they won the right to one-day status by finishing fifth in the World Cup 2011 qualifiers.

They won the qualifying rounds to feature in the World Twenty20 held in the West Indies in 2010 and in the same year won the Inter-Continental Cup for Associate countries before finishing silver medallists at the Asian Games in China, according to The Times of India.

Refugees who took shelter in Pakistan after the Soviet invasion are believed to be the buttress of the rise of cricket in Afghanistan which has been a scene of bloodshed for decades. Afghanistan's progress in cricket is indeed amazing. We are much delighted to see them on the Cricket Globe. They are making some great grounds in terms of infrastructure development in and around Kabul.

Even Pakistan deserves appreciation for giving Afghanistan an opportunity to play a one-dayer against their team. It will be quite important for the growing nation to play bigger teams in order to progress. We can also help to better their game by playing against them.

ICC has expressed its plans to include China and the US in the cricketing world as well. While it believes that the USA has a significant cricketing culture but it says that China lacks one.However, according to the paper, the Asian Cricket Council is trying their best in China to build some momentum there and believes that it might take some time to grow.