Afghanistan enters 1st Qualifying Final

Batting first, Afghanistan batsmen maintained their rich batting form when they helped the defending champion to 177 for five. In turn, Bermuda finished at 162 for seven after needing 38 runs off the last two overs and 32 runs off the final six deliveries.

The victory meant Afghanistan topped Group A with seven straight victories and in Thursday match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, which will start at 1400 (local time), it will go head to head with the side that finishes on top of Group B. Unbeaten Namibia and second-placed Ireland are in contention to win the Group but the situation will become clearer only after afternoon matches.

The side which will win the 1st Qualifying Final will become the first of the two sides to qualify for the tournament proper to be played in Sri Lanka from 18 September to 7 October.

The star of Afghanistan's victory was wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Shahzad who slammed three fours and five sixes in a 38-ball 64 not out. Asghar Stanikzai (26), Mohammad Nabi (22) and Karim Sadiq (22) were the other notable run-getters.

Shahzad, together with Nabi, put on 56 runs for the fourth wicket before he was involved in an unfinished 47-run sixth wicket partnership with Gulbodin Naib who smashed three sixes and a four in an eight-ball 26 not out.

In turn, Bermuda finished at 162 for seven after Janeiro Tucker belted four straight sixes off Samiullah Shenwari in an electrifying 16-ball 37. Fiqre Crockwell was the other notable batsman with 34 off 40 balls with three fours.

Aftab Alam was Afghanistan's most successful bowler with three for 23.

Shahzad later said: "I'm very happy, my team is happy, because we are qualifying for the next stage.

"We want to qualify for the ICC World Twenty20 2012, because the players have worked very hard together, and the trainers, coaches, physios and everybody involved is working very hard to do well."

A delighted Afghanistan coach Kabir Khan said: "I think winning today was very important for us. We wanted to finish at the top. We wanted to keep our morale high as well. In this sort of cricket, if anything goes wrong, the morale of the team deteriorates to be honest, it just goes down very quickly, and we didn't want to do that.

"We dropped a few of our top players to give them a bit of rest and we gave the chance to new bowlers and new boys from our side. They performed really well and it shows how strong the bench is.

"Our next opponent is going to be decided today. No matter who comes in there, this is our final and we have to play it as a final, and we don't mind who it is.

"The weather conditions aren't really easy. It's quite unpredictable. It's been cold too. But it suited us because we've come from Kabul where it has been snowing. I hope it stays the same."

Scores in brief

Afghanistan beats Bermuda by 15 runs at ICC GCA Oval 1, Dubai Sports City, Dubai

Afghanistan 177-5, 20 overs (Mohammad Shahzad 64, Gulbodin Naib 26 not out, Asghar Stanikzai 26, Mohammad Nabi 22, Karim Sadiq 22; Curt Stovell 2-38)

Bermuda162-7, 20 overs (Janeiro Tucker 37, Fiqre Crockwell 34, Aftab Alam 3-23)