Sharjah, United Arab Emirates: War-weary Afghanistan achieved one of its finest sporting moments by qualifying for its first Cricket World Cup on Friday.
The Afghans had to beat Kenya in the last match of the World Cricket League Championship, and won by seven wickets in a canter.
Afghanistan edged United Arab Emirates for the second automatic qualifying spot in the eight-team competition. The Afghans and Ireland, the championship winner, advance to the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Afghanistan ousted Kenya for a mere 93 runs in 43.3 overs with spinners Hamza Hotak, Mohammad Nabi and Karim Sadiq sharing seven wickets.
Nabi scored an unbeaten 46 off 42 balls and hit the winning boundary as Afghanistan raced to a triumphant 96-3 in only 20.5 overs.
Afghanistan has played in the last two World Twenty20s, but to qualify for a World Cup is remarkable progress for a country which has only a handful of turf pitches.
