SUPER SHOW BY AFGHAN CHAMPS!

Afghanistan has joined Pool A of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 alongside four-time champion Australia, co-host New Zealand, Bangladesh, three-time finalist England, 1996 champion Sri Lanka and Qualifier 3.

Ireland, which won the tournament in Amstelveen in July after taking an unassailable lead on the points table to become the first team to qualify for the 2015 World Cup, is in Group B of the ICC’s flagship event, joining defending champion India, 1992 winner Pakistan, South Africa, two-time champion West Indies, Zimbabwe and Qualifier 4.

Ireland will feature in its 3rd cricket World Cup, having made its debut in 2007, where it defeated Pakistan by three wickets and Bangladesh by 74 runs. In 2011, Ireland recorded a heart-stopping three-wicket victory over England when Kevin O’Brien scored the fastest century in ICC Cricket World Cup history (113 from 63 deliveries) to help Ireland record the highest successful ICC Cricket World Cup run-chase.

Afghanistan, meanwhile, will play its opening match of the 2015 World Cup against Bangladesh at Manuka Oval, Canberra, on 18 February, while its other matches will be against Sri Lanka (22 February, University Oval, Dunedin), Qualifier 3 (26 February, University Oval, Dunedin), Australia (4 March, WACA, Perth), New Zealand (8 March, McLean Park, Napier) and England (13 March, SCG, Sydney).

Ireland will play its first match of the 2015 ICC Cricket World against West Indies at Saxton Oval, Nelson, on 16 February, and will then play Qualifier 4 (25 February, The Gabba, Brisbane), South Africa (3 March, Manuka Oval, Canberra), Zimbabwe (7 March, Bellerive Oval, Adelaide), India (10 march, Seddon Park, Hamilton) and Pakistan (15 March, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide).