By K.R. Nayar
The World Cup-bound teams of Canada and Kenya will play two One-day international matches against Afghanistan in the UAE.
The Sharjah Cricket Council has taken the initiative to organise these One-day matches for Afghanistan team that failed to qualify for the 2011 World Cup by a slender margin.
These two One-day matches will reveal how strong Canada and Kenya are when compared to Afghanistan which has become stronger since the World Cup qualifiers.

The Sharjah Cricket Council will also be hosting the Afghanistan A team for a series of matches in Sharjah Cricket Stadium and Al Dhaid Cricket Village.
The first One-day match against Kenya at the ICC Global Cricket Academy ground on February 6 will be Afghanistan’s 17th One-day international match. Kenya have so far played four matches against Afghanistan and the teams have split the honours equally.
Delighted
The second One-day match against Canada will be on February 8. Canada have played Afghanistan thrice but lost twice and won once.
“Sharjah Cricket Council is delighted to host both the Afghanistan teams and assist Afghanistan cricket with the infrastructure support in our venue, which is considered their second home.
“In the process we will have been able to also provide two good matches for the World Cup bound teams Kenya and Canada,” Mazhar Khan, the secretary of the Sharjah Cricket Council told Gulf News.
“The Afghanistan national team will arrive on January 28 and play Emirates Cricket Board Blues in three matches in Sharjah and one match at Al Dhaid before taking on Kenya and Canada.
“The Afghanistan A team will fly in on January 23 and play two matches against UAE Under-19 team which is gearing up to play in the Asian Cricket Council [ACC] Under-19 tournament in Bangkok. They will also play against ECB Blues and ECB Combined XI,” Khan said.
Afghanistan have appointed fast bowler Hamid Hassan as their new national team captain.
Iqbal Sikander, the ACC Development Officer for Afghanistan, said: “The two One-day matches in UAE will help Afghanistan show Canada and Kenya and everyone else that Afghanistan on current form could play in the World Cup too.”