Afghanistan qualified for its second successive ICC World Twenty20 when it comprehensively beat Namibia by 47 runs in the 1st Qualifying Final of the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier UAE 2012 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium (DICS) on Thursday afternoon.
In front of about 3,500 cheering and jubilant supporters, Afghanistan fast bowler Dawlat Zadran dismissed Namibia's in-form openers Raymond van Schoor and Gerrie Snyman in his first over and then his new ball partner Aftab Alam ripped the heart out of the African side, as it stuttered to 99 all out in 18.1 overs after being set a target of 147.
Man of the match Zadran finished with impressive figures of 3.1-1-5-3 while Alam returned figures of 4-0-25-4.
The victory, apart from earning Afghanistan a ticket to Sri Lanka for the tournament proper to be staged from 18 September to 7 October, has also put it in the final of the qualifying tournament which will start at 1800 (local time) at the DICS on Saturday, 24 March.
While Afghanistan has been assured of a place in the tournament proper alongside the 10 Full Members, Namibia still has an opportunity to win the second and last available spot when it plays the winner of Ireland and Netherlands match on the morning of Saturday, 24 March.
