WHEN Bermuda take on Afghanistan on April 2 at the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifying Tournament in Witrand, South Africa, it will be a historic moment in Afghanistan's history.

The fact that Afghanistan – which has been and still is being torn apart by war – are even among the 12 teams in the tournament vying for one of the four places available in the 2011 World Cup is in itself remarkable.

It was only in 2002 that Afghanistan formed a national team and since then they have steadily improved to get to within a hair's breadth of qualifying for the 2011 World Cup which will be staged in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Last year in Jersey they won Division Five of the World Cricket League. They also finished third in the ACC Trophy Elite tournament last year and soon after won a second consecutive WCL tournament – Division Four in Tanzania.

Last month the country went wild after the team progressed to April's World Cup Qualifying Tournament by winning Division Three of the World Cricket League in Buenos Aires, topping the table on net run rate ahead of Uganda and Papua New Guinea.

"It certainly is one of cricket's great success stories," said Matthew Kennedy, the ICC's Global Development Manager, speaking to the Mid-Ocean Newsthis week from his offices in Dubai.

Neil Speight, the Chief Executive of the Bermuda Cricket Board, said: "Afghanistan have done a tremendous job – it is a great story. It is exciting to see these guys come all the way through. They won their divisions and finally won in Argentina (to get to the South Africa in April). It is amazing and hopefully they will do well. I don't mind if they qualify for the World Cup as long as they don't stop us from qualifying! It would be great news for that country considering what they have gone through."

While Bermuda's players may moan occasionally about the lack of practise matches, training facilities and their wages, consider the case of the Afghan players and coaches.

Their cricket grounds are in reality rubble. In fact the main ground in the capital of Kabul was formerly used by the murderous Taliban as an execution site and also for the stoning of women.

A few years ago the then coach, Taj Malik who is now the secretary general of the Afghanistan Cricket Federation, was threatened by a suicide bomber for not picking a particular player – something that Bermuda coach Gus Logie doesn't have to contend with!

Short of funds and experience but bursting with confidence, Afghanistan's fledgling team are champing at the bit to take on Bermuda and the other four teams in their qualifying group in South Africa – Denmark, Kenya, Holland and the UAE.

And while Bermuda's national team have received millions of dollars from Government and also the ICC, Afghanistan's team have had very little given to them to help improve the game in the poor country.

"If we had just 50 percent of the facilities that other international teams have, then nobody would be able to beat Afghanistan," said national cricket federation president Shahzada Masood.

The ICC's Kennedy said this week: "It is great to see people, when they get the opportunity, grab it with both hands and full credit must go to them as well as the Asia Cricket Council and their programme. Once the Asia Cricket Council realised that these guys could play and had some natural talent they really supported them with preparation and tours. It has paid off. It is going to be a big test for them when they come up against the more hardened Associates in South Africa but they will give it their best shot.

"One of the most exciting things we have done in the development programme – which is about 10 years old – was to create opportunities that never existed before. We set up this World Cricket League which gives any country, whether they are an Associate or an Affiliate, a chance to pop out of their region and go all the way to the World Cup if they do well.

"Afghanistan have not just qualified to go through (to South Africa) but they won Division Five, then won Division Four and then won Division Three. They have broken into the World Cup qualifying. The thing that pleases me the most is that this shows that the ICC philosophy of providing those increased opportunities for everybody means that people will be able to climb their way up. Obviously Afghanistan is a great story. It is a nation that wasn't a real cricket nation but now they are focussed on it. I have read some great reports from there. When the team arrived back in Afghanistan (from Buenos Aires at the beginning of this month) they were national heroes. It wasn't long ago that no one there had much interest in cricket."

Kennedy admitted that the Afghan association has not received much in the way of funds from the ICC.

"Up until now they have received regional support through the Asia region – similar to the the Cayman Islands who have received support from the Americas region. Afghanistan have not been in that bracket that gets extra special attention (and funds) like Bermuda gets."

This year Afghanistan cricket will get a base grant from the ICC of $15,000. "They can get other grants which they can build upon as well," said Kennedy adding that Afghanistan's team has drawn their players from those who fled the country to Pakistan during the many bloody wars.

"My understanding is that the vast majority of the team fled Afghanistan to Pakistan during certain points in their troubles and that is where they picked the game up.

"Some of the players still reside in Pakistan and play a lot of their cricket there because the facilities are better. It's also good that they can tap into Pakistan coaching as well.

"Their cricket grounds are not what we would call cricket grounds – a chunk of concrete in the middle of a lot of sand."

And Kennedy said the national team players constantly give back to make the sport better for future generations.

"I was in Argentina (when Afghanistan won Division Three last month) and we went out to a junior sports club and took along a few of the Afghanistan players as well as some of the Argentinian players. The Afghanistan players were great with the kids. Most of them have a role as a coach with an Under 15 team at home to bring new players along so they have developed a real love for the game and are thinking of the future – they really have a lot of national pride."

The national team coach is now former Pakistan international Kabir Khan who took over the team only five months ago.

Khan said that he was first approached for the national coaching job four years ago when he was playing cricket in the UK.

"At that time I was doing the different coaching levels and had just retired from first-class cricket. It did not work at first because I did not know much about the team but when I joined the UAE team in 2007 I heard a lot of good things about them. After I left the UAE I left for Scotland to coach Stirlingshire. After I finished my stint there I was approached by the ACC and asked if I was interested in the opening with Afghanistan cricket. We speak the same language and have the same customs, my home Peshawar is the nearest big Pakistan city to Afghanistan so we have been able to build up a good relationship very quickly."

But Khan realised that it would take a lot of work to get the team up to speed.

"It is raw talent (in Afghanistan) because there is no real infrastructure back there. They are just coming up and love the game and you can see them playing on the streets, the same way it is played in Pakistan and India. In Kabul, there was an Under-19 trial where 165 boys showed up and from there the team was selected. There is a problem because we don't have a system where we can confirm their ages and that was a headache. We had to leave behind some really good talent because we thought they were over-aged."

And Khan hoped that the ICC and ACC will play a bigger role in the future.

"It all depends on how quickly the nation recovers from all that's happened. As soon as it recovers the government will look at those things because they've got bigger problems than sports in their country. We need private people to come in and help."

Last week ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat applauded Afghanistan's extraordinary effort in reaching the final stage of qualifying for the 2011 World Cup.

"I think that is very exciting," he said. "They have certainly surprised a few people. They have won each of the respective World Cricket Leagues they have played in and I think it is due reward for them to go into the qualifying round."

And even if Afghanistan fail to make the top four in World Cup qualifying in April, a top six place will guarantee one-day international status for the next four years – and more money from the ICC.

Former BBC Afghanistan correspondent, William Reeve, was in Buenos Aires last month to watch Afghanistan finally win to get to South Africa.

He said: "One of the strengths of the Afghans is their superb fielding, leaping and running for every ball with great agility. They are very fit indeed. As good Muslims, they do not drink alcohol or smoke, but above all they have a great desire to succeed."

Secretary general of the Afghanistan Cricket Federation, Taj Malik, said after their victory in Argentina last month: "We never even thought we could expect to do so well.

"But the team's main test is still ahead of us. We thought that maybe in 2015 or 2020 we could be where we are today. We will try to strengthen the weaknesses of our team. We will prepare our team for the toughness of the World Cup."

But Malik expressed frustration at what he said was a lack of government financial support for the players.

"So far they have not been given a salary, no one has given them any benefits. It is important to improve the life of the players if we want to see them in the World Cup."

Before departing for South Africa for the World Cup qualifying, Afghanistan will hold a preparation camp in Sri Lanka in early March for almost two weeks. Oman and UAE will join the preparations too and the three Asian teams will play together, in addition to playing some local teams.

Asked if Afghanistan can get to the 2011 World Cup, national coach Khan said: "They surely can, insha'Allah."

Bermuda better be prepared for these hungry players.