Afghans face West Indies with WC hopes on line

Previous West Indies star and national mentor Phil Simmons intends to convey a noteworthy hit to his previous group and rescue Afghanistan's expectations of influencing the 2019 World Cup when the two sides to conflict on Thursday. 

Simmons, who played 26 Tests and 143 ODIs for the West Indies from 1987 to 1999, was sacked as mentor of the Caribbean side in 2016, only five months in the wake of driving them to the World Twenty20 title in India. 

Presently the 54-year-old, who has been mentor of Afghanistan since December, winds up in another dogfight as the floundering Asian mammoths endeavor to rescue a torrid qualifying effort which saw them crush into the Super Sixes in the wake of winning only one of four first-round diversions. 

Afghanistan, now a Test-playing country, touched base in Zimbabwe with high any desires for making the finals in England and Wales in 2019, however they will convey no focuses into the following stage. 

"It's been troublesome from the time we lost the main diversion. We know how troublesome it is presently, however everything we can do is what is in our grasp and that is to win the three diversions," said Simmons. 

"In the event that we can win the three amusements (against West Indies, Ireland and the UAE), at that point we can set ourselves in a place and it's up to others to do what they do." 

Afghanistan could be enticed to review huge hitting wicketkeeper Mohammad Shahzad who was suspended for two matches amid the first round. 

The West Indies, because of their four focuses continued into the Super Sixes, will begin as top picks however their exhibitions in the gathering matches have been conflicting. 

The Windies, title holders in 1975 and 1979, slipped to 58 for four preceding accomplishing their 201-run focus against Papua New Guinea, recuperated from 83 for five to 258 for eight against Ireland and after that were behind the Netherlands on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern technique at one phase before the Dutch lost four fast wickets to in the long run lose by 54 runs. 

Chief Jason Holder demanded the critical thing for his side was to advance to the Super Six with a greatest four focuses. 

"I think this is one box ticked-we have qualified as well as qualified going into the Super Six with four focuses. 

"We have Afghanistan first in the Super Sixes, and we know we need to win that amusement. 

I figure everyone will be available, it's clearly an absolute necessity win diversion, a vital amusement." 

Additionally on Thursday, Scotland, with three focuses, will go up against the base put United Arab Emirates in Bulawayo. 

On Friday, Zimbabwe confront Ireland. Zimbabwe have conveyed three focuses into the Super Sixes after triumph over Afghanistan and a tied match against Scotland. 

Ireland have pushed forward with two persist focuses following their 226-run triumph over the UAE. 

The six residual groups are pursuing only two spots in the 2019 finals. 

Source: AFP