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The Afghanistan national cricket team is the team that represents the country of Afghanistan in international cricket matches. Cricket has been played in Afghanistan since the mid 19th century, but it is only in recent years that the national team has become successful. The Afghanistan Cricket Federation was formed in 1995 and became an affiliate member of the International Cricket Council in 2001 and a member of the Asian Cricket Council in 2003. They are ranked ninth in International Twenty20 cricket as of 9 November 2011, ahead of ICC full member nations Zimbabwe and the currently unranked Bangladesh.
The national team was formed in 2001, which played in the 2009 World Cup Qualifier after rising rapidly through the World Cricket League, starting in Division Five in May 2008. The team failed to qualify for the 2011 World Cup, but did earn ODI status until 2013. In February 2010, the Afghan cricket team secured qualification to the 2010 ICC World Twenty20, the team's first major tournament. In the same year they won their first Intercontinental Cup, beating Scotland in the final. Afghanistan also won the Asia Vs Caribbean T20 Championship and beat T&T, Bangladesh and Barbados.
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