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The Afghanistan national cricket team played a single One Day International (ODI) cricket match against the Pakistan national cricket team on 10 February 2012.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Afghanistan-Pakistan ODI set for 10 February )〕 The match took place at a time when Pakistan were due to play England in a follow-up ODI series in the UAE after defeating them 3-0 in a Test series. Held at the Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium in the United Arab Emirates, it was the first time that the Pakistani cricket team had faced Afghanistan in a formal international-level cricket series. This was the first time Afghanistan played against a Test-playing nation and a Full Member of the International Cricket Council in an ODI, since achieving their own ODI status at the 2009 Cricket World Cup Qualifier. Afghanistan batted first after winning the toss, posting a modest total of 195 after being bowled out in the 49th over. Pakistan reached their target comfortably by seven wickets with thirteen overs to spare. The match was seen as significant for Afghanistan, who had made rapid progress in international cricket over the preceding five years, as well as politically, with Afghanistan and Pakistan sharing a tense relationship between the neighboring countries. ==Background== An article published in the ''Indian Express'' described the match as one that would be one of cricket's "famous rivalries", noting the unstable and often tense political relations between the two neighboring countries as well as the complex historical, geographical and cultural links between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Sharjah cricket stadium is famous for having previously hosted many cricket duels between arch-rivals India and Pakistan and the intense atmosphere surrounding this latest contest brings the ground back into the spotlight again.〔 Many Afghan cricketers grew up and learnt cricket while living in refugee camps in Pakistan. Afghan fast bowler Hamid Hassan, who himself had been ruled out of the match through injury, said that the entire country was eagerly counting down to the big game with Pakistan, while all-rounder Mohammad Nabi added that the opportunity to play against a top team like Pakistan was a dream-come-true.〔 With Afghanistan lacking international standard playing facilities, and with ongoing security problems in Afghanistan, the Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates has been Afghanistan's adopted 'home' ground since February 2010. Acknowledging the remarkable significance of the game for Afghan cricket, a local ground official expected the stadium to entertain a full house of spectators on the day, consisting especially of Afghan expatriates.〔 The only other occasion in which the Afghan cricket team has faced Pakistan at the world stage was at a semi-final of the 2010 Asian Games, a match which they went on to win. It is to be noted however that the defeated Pakistani team at the tournament was a second-string domestic outfit and had almost no international players. This one-day international is hence the first occasion in which Afghanistan are to compete against the proper Pakistani national team.〔 The match was also significant for being the first time that an Affiliate Member of the International Cricket Council has played a Full Member Test-playing nation.〔 Omar Zakhilwal, president of the Afghanistan Cricket Board, told reporters that cricket had become the most widely played game in Afghanistan and that the match was such a big milestone for the country that even the once cricket-hating Taliban sent a message of support to the Afghan team.〔(Cricket: Even Taliban seduced by Afghanistan success story )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Afghan cricket team against Pakistan in the UAE in 2011–12」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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