{{Use Pakistani English|date=April 2016}} {{Infobox cricket team |name=Afghan Cheetahs |image = |colours={{color box|LightBlue}} / {{color box|Green}} |coach= {{flagicon|AFG|2004}} [[Raees Ahmadzai]] |captain= {{flagicon|AFG|2004}} [[Mohammad Nabi]] |title1 = [[Twenty-20 Cup]] |title1wins = '''0''' |founded=2011 |ground= N/A |capacity= |owner= [[Afghanistan Cricket Board]] |website= [http://www.afghancricket.af/ Afghan Cheetahs] }}
The '''Afghan Cheetahs''' was a [[Twenty20]] team established in 2011 from [[Afghanistan]] that played in [[Pakistan]]'s domestic [[Faysal Bank Twenty-20 Cup 2011-12|Faysal Bank Twenty-20 Cup]] in September/October 2011.<ref name="SQU">{{cite web|url=http://www.afgcric.com/news/item/197-afghan-cheetahs-squad-announced.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130116085541/http://www.afgcric.com/news/item/197-afghan-cheetahs-squad-announced.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 January 2013 |title=Afghan Cheetahs squad announced |date=24 September 2011 |publisher=www.afgcric.com |accessdate=30 September 2011 }}</ref> The team was captained by [[Mohammad Nabi]] and coached by [[Raees Ahmadzai]].
==Background== Despite the [[Afghanistan national cricket team]] being a member of the [[International Cricket Council]] in its own right, its recent success has seen it invited to take part in this competition in its full member neighbour. This is similar to other associate/affiliate members of the International Cricket Council. In Europe, the national teams of [[Denmark national cricket team|Denmark]], [[Ireland cricket team|Ireland]], the [[Netherlands national cricket team|Netherlands]] and [[Scotland cricket team|Scotland]] have all at some point taken part in English domestic cricket. In Africa, [[Kenya national cricket team|Kenya]] has taken part in West Indian and Zimbabwean domestic cricket, while [[Namibia national cricket team|Namibia]] takes part in South Africa domestic cricket. Similarly, the national teams of [[Canada national cricket team|Canada]] and the [[United States national cricket team|United States]] have also been invited to take part in West Indian domestic cricket. Such moves are seen as a way to give associate/affiliate members of the International Cricket Council access to regular cricket of a high standard, which they do not have access to in their own countries, by which to improve their skills.
==Fixtures and results== Comprising a mixture of national players and youth, the Afghan Cheetahs played three matches in the competition, losing all three. They lost to [[Rawalpindi Rams]] by 4 wickets,<ref>{{cite web |url-access=subscription |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/353/353165.html|title=Afghan Cheetas v Rawalpindi Rams, 2011/12 Faysal Bank Twenty-20 Cup|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=30 September 2011}}</ref> [[Faisalabad Wolves]] by 13 runs<ref>{{cite web |url-access=subscription |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/353/353167.html|title=Afghan Cheetas v Faisalabad Wolves, 2011/12 Faysal Bank Twenty-20 Cup|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=30 September 2011}}</ref> and [[Multan Tigers]] by 4 wickets.<ref>{{cite web|url-access=subscription|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/353/353169/353169_mini.html|title=Afghan Cheetas v Multan Tigers, 2011/12 Faysal Bank Twenty-20 Cup|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=30 September 2011|archive-date=1 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111001224156/http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/353/353169/353169_mini.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> These defeats left the Cheetahs at the bottom of their group and eliminated them from the competition.
===Scorecards=== :''The following scorecards are the Afghan Cheetahs' results from their three matches in the Faysal Bank Twenty-20 Cup 2011–12:'' {{Limited Overs Matches | date = 28 September | daynight = yes | time = 20:00 | team1 = [[Rawalpindi Rams]] {{flagicon|PAK}} | score1 = 163/6 (18.5 overs) | score2 = 162/4 (20 overs)| team2 = {{flagicon|AFG|2004}} Afghan Cheetahs | runs1 = [[Awais Zia]] 60 (41) | wickets1 = [[Karim Sadiq]] 1/17 (4 overs) | runs2 = [[Samiullah Shenwari]] 52 (32) | wickets2 = [[Mohammad Rameez]] 2/41 (4 overs) | result = Rawalpindi Rams won by 4 wickets | report = [http://www.espncricinfo.com/pakistan-domestic-2011/engine/match/533342.html Scorecard] | venue = [[National Stadium, Karachi]] | umpires = [[Iqbal Butt]] and [[Shakeel Khan (cricketer, born 1952)|Shakeel Khan]] | motm = [[Awais Zia]] (Rawalpindi Rams) | toss = Afghan Cheetahs won the toss and chose to bat | notes = }} ---- {{Limited Overs Matches | date = 29 September | daynight = yes | time = 16:00 | team1 = [[Faisalabad Wolves]] {{flagicon|PAK}} | score1 = 145/8 (20 overs) | score2 = 132/9 (20 overs) | team2 = {{flagicon|AFG|2004}} Afghan Cheetahs | runs1 = [[Mohammad Salman (cricketer, born 1981)|Mohammad Salman]] 32 (26) | wickets2 = [[Mohammad Nabi]] 2/24 (4 overs) | runs2 = [[Gulbudeen Naib]] 68 (42) | wickets1 = [[Abdur Rauf (cricketer)|Abdur Rauf]] 2/25 (3 overs) | result = Faisalabad Wolves won by 13 runs | report = [http://www.espncricinfo.com/pakistan-domestic-2011/engine/match/533344.html Scorecard] | venue = [[National Stadium, Karachi]] | umpires = [[Shozab Raza]] and [[Zameer Haider]] | motm = [[Gulbudeen Naib]] (Afghan Cheetahs) | toss = Faisalabad Wolves won the toss and chose to bat }} ---- {{Limited Overs Matches | date = 30 September | daynight = | time = 12:00 | team1 = [[Multan Tigers]] {{flagicon|PAK}} | score2 = 131/9 (20 overs) | score1 = 135/6 (19.2 overs) | team2 = {{flagicon|AFG|2004}} Afghan Cheetahs | runs2 = [[Najib Taraki]] 34 (24) | wickets1 = [[Naved Yasin]] 4/17 (4 overs) | runs1 = [[Zain Abbas (cricketer, born 1991)|Zain Abbas]] 54 (35) | wickets2 = [[Mohammad Nabi]] 2/32 (4 overs) | result = Multan Tigers won by 4 wickets | report = [http://www.espncricinfo.com/pakistan-domestic-2011/engine/match/533346.html Scorecard] | venue = [[National Stadium, Karachi]] | umpires = [[Riazuddin (cricket umpire)|Riazuddin]] and [[Saleem Badar]] | motm = [[Naved Yasin]] (Multan Tigers) | toss = Afghan Cheetahs won the toss and chose to bat }}
==See also== * [[Asiatic cheetah]], the animal which used to occur in Afghanistan
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20110903095908/http://www.afghancricket.af/index.php?lang=english Afghanistan Cricket Board] *[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Teams/16/16797/16797.html Cricketarchive page for Afghan Cheetahs] *[http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/index.html?class=6;id=4947;type=team Twenty 20 record page for Afghan Cheetahs]
{{Cricket in Afghanistan}}
[[Category:Afghan cricket tours of Pakistan]] [[Category:Cricket clubs established in 2011]] [[Category:Cricket teams in Pakistan]] [[Category:Cricket teams in Afghanistan|Cheetahs]]