The Afghanistan XI beat the USA XI by 48 runs (based on records I saw), at Maple Leaf Cricket Club, King City, Ontario in the opening game of the third and final day of the Etihad Summer Cricket Festival 2011. In human terms, it provided a study in the reality of security. There were absolutely no problems at the ground with player and fan behaviour. I do not recall seeing any visiting York Regional Police officer, leaving a few security persons at the ground entrance and in a couple of other spots.
It would have been nice in such a tranquil and positive atmosphere, to have a photo of both teams together to demonstrate the realized potential of bringing communities and people together in peace through sport. It would have been nice to send out a photo of some Afghani women tossing a ball about with their children in one corner of the ground. Nice, but not so good for those who return to their families and homes in Afghanistan. That is the reality of life in a troubled area of tribal conflicts and the challenges of making a daily living.
Some of the USA cricket squad might well be, and are, Moslems. But that is not an immediate and natural association for, probably, many in Afghanistan. Saying “hello” or waving to some of the spectators around the ground as they enjoyed a sunny, hot day in a green field. There are some nearby farms and farmlands. Sweetcorn grows on 15th Sideroad, to the south of the cricket ground. It can take a while to retrieve balls struck too lustily out of the ground from the southern pitches, especially the south-east pitch.
The Afghanistan XI seem to have made 164 all out in 19.1 overs. (This may reflect 160 runs from the bat, plus 4 extras/sundries.) There was a bit of a fight-back in the late overs by some of the USA XI bowlers, who tried to keep to an appropriate line and length for the “slog-phase” possibly helped by some ill-judged strokes. Spinner Bhim George took 3 wickets for 25 runs as some cricketing ducks joined the passing Canada geese. The USA XI replied with 116 all out in 19.5 overs.
The opening batsman, Gulbedeen Naib and Karim Sadiq, provided a solid start for Afghanistan. Naib top-scored with 75, Sadiq made 25. Mohammed Shahzad made a start with 16, but that was it for the day, and captain Nawroz Mangal made 35. He was one of Bhim George’s bowling captures.
Alfred Qasen top-scored for the USA side with 35 and Charan Singh made 26. Hamid Hassan took three wickets for 24 runs in 3.5 overs. Samiullah Shenwari took two for 14 in his four overs. Shapoor Zadran also took two wickets at a cost of 18 runs in four overs.
The benefits of playing more matches at a higher level of cricket clearly helped the Afghanistan side. The extra pace of some of their bowlers, and the fielding being factors.
Gulbedeen Naib was named Man-of-the-Match. Canadian Minister for Sport made the presentation. The Afghani Consul General based in Toronto was also present.