We Are Not the Favourites to Win the ICC World Cup Qualifiers, Says Afghanistan Coach Phil Simmons

The story of Afghanistan has been simply phenomenal. Just a few years ago they were not even on the radar of international cricket.

However, in these couple of years, they had improved by leaps and bounds and had got the Test status. Despite a string of impressive performances, Afghanistan coach Phil Simmons on Saturday said his team are by no means the favourites to win the ICC World Cup Qualifiers.

Top two teams will qualify for the main event next year scheduled to be played in England and Wales. Afghanistan are grouped alongside Scotland, Hong Kong, Nepal and last but not the least hosts Zimbabwe.

“I am not putting the ‘favourites’ tag on me. We have just come here to play cricket, we need to play proper cricket and win this tournament,” Simmons said in an ICC statement.

“I am one of those who wants to win all the time, and I think these guys are the same. So, the more we will win, the easier it will get for us in the Super Six stage. “You win the Super Six stage; you are in the World Cup as well as in the final. That’s how we look at it.”

Simmons played 26 Tests and 143 ODI’s for West Indies between 1987 to 1999.

Afghanistan will lock horns with Scotland in the opening match of the ICC World Cup Qualifiers on March 4. Meanwhile, coach Simmons resigned to the fact he wasn’t particularly happy with his team’s performance in the warm-up clashes.

“We haven’t done a lot of things we wanted to do in the warm-up matches. But, at the same time, the boys have been sharp in Sharjah and I am sure the sharpness is still there, maybe a bit of jet-lag but we will get there. Hopefully, we will be able to put everything together come Sunday,” he hoped.

“All of us are looking forward to the tournament. It’s good that it is being held in high esteem, but you have to come out and do it. We had two good outings in the warm-up games, and now it’s about business. So, we are looking forward to Sunday.”

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