join the party in the Caribbean
…tonight’s final will determine in which group they play
AFGHANISTAN and Ireland have completed the line-up for the ICC World Twenty20 2010 which will take place in the West Indies from 30 April to 16 May.
The qualifying tournament, which has been taking place in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) this week, concludes tonight but the finalists will both be making their way to the Caribbean to join the 10 Full Members in the 17-day festival of thrill-a-minute cricket.
For Afghanistan it will be the first time it has made it to the finals of a major ICC tournament and considering the Asian nation was playing in Division 5 of the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League less than two years ago, it has been a remarkable journey.
Ireland is a much more familiar name having competed in the most recent ICC World Twenty20 in England and also in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007, the last time a global ICC event took place on the Caribbean’s shores. The West Indies will hold many pleasant memories for Ireland fans as their team made it to the Super Eight stage in that event three years ago.
The winner of last night’s final, which begins at 2000 (Dubai time) will join India and South Africa in Group C while the runner-up will play its Group D matches in Guyana against the West Indies and England.
Earlier yetserday, in what were essentially semi-finals, Afghanistan overcame the challenge of the UAE in a thrilling finish by four wickets with just three balls to spare and in the second match Ireland beat the Netherlands by 65 runs.

Scores in brief:
Super Four stage
Afghanistan beat UAE by four wickets at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai Sports City
UAE 100-9, 20 overs (Saqib Ali 24; Mohammad Nabi 3-17, Mirwais Ashraf 2-15, Hamid Hassan 2-21)
Afghanistan 101-6, 19.3 overs (Noor Ali 38 not out, Asghar Stanikzai 26; Fayyaz Ahmed 2-14, Silva 2-14)
Man of the match: Noor Ali

Ireland beat Netherlands by 65 runs at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai Sports City
Ireland 151-6, 20 overs (Alex Cusack 65, Gary Wilson 29; Mark Jonkman 2-21)
Netherlands 86 all out, 15.3 overs (Ryan ten Doeschate 32; George Dockrell 4-20, Trent Johnston 2-14, Peter Connell 2-21)
Man- of -the match: Alex Cusack