Afghanistan will get another boost as a fledgling cricketing nation when they play former world champions Pakistan for the first time in a Twenty20 international in Sharjah on Sunday, according to reports.
According to the Daily Times, the Afghans learnt the game in Pakistan as refugees during the Russian invasion of their country in 1979 and have since had a fairytale rise in the game.
The war-torn nation got a tremendous boost earlier this year when for the first time they qualified for the 50-over World Cup to be held in Australia and New Zealand in 2015, the report said.
Last month they once again lived up to their billing of one of the best Associate teams by qualifying for the World Twenty20 to be held in Bangladesh next year, the report added.
Afghanistan's Pakistan coach Kabir Khan said his team is hugely excited for Sunday's game.
Kabir said Pakistan have always provided his team with golden opportunities.
Meanwhile, Pakistan's T20 captain Mohammad Hafeez also refused to take Afghanistan lightly and said that they are a dangerous side.