SAT, MAY 1, 2010: INDIA V AFGHANISTAN AT ST. LUCIA?

The big news in the smaller cricketing circles is the progress made by Afghanistan in their cricket. Their star paceman, Hamid Hassan, has already likened the success of the Afghan cricket team to that of Rocky. 22 year old Hasan, who has played at Lord's, played for MCC Young Cricketers' Team and the Pakistan Customs team, was quoted as saying, "I think that there is a similarity in the story of Rocky and the Afghanistan cricket team - we both started at the bottom and gradually made our way up the rankings."

Last year, the Afghan team missed out on qualifying for the World Cup 2011 to be held in the sub - continent. Now, they are at Dubai on the verge of qualification into the World Twenty20 World Cup to be held in the Caribbean islands in May.

Continuing on his Rocky theme, Hassan adds: "We all want to win the tournament. Having the chance to play against India or South Africa at the ICC World Twenty20 really would be like Rocky having the chance to fight the champion and we are determined to make our dreams come true."

Afghanistan are certainly on a high having an undefeated run in the Qualifying tournament so far. Not only did they beat the more fancied Ireland and Scotland, they have also beaten the United States of America comprehensively in a match that they desperately wanted to win because of their recent past.

Even though the journey gets more difficult for them from here on (Netherlands later today and hosts UAE tomorrow), one wouldn't put in past Afghanistan to be seen in their blue and red apparels at the Providence Stadium, Guyana or the Beausejour Stadium, Gros Islet, St Lucia taking on either West Indies or India in their first taste of the highest level of the game.