Afghanistan team to train in Pakistan

Afghanistan will prepare for the 2015 World Cup with a two-week camp in Pakistan, coach Kabir Khan has said. The camp is scheduled to begin on April 15 in Karachi and former captains Aamir Sohail and Rashid Latif will also be working with the side's batsmen and wicketkeepers.

"We have a full year of events starting with the Asian Cricket Council Trophy next month and the excitement will reach the highest point with the World Cup, and we have planned a two-week camp in Karachi from April 15," Khan told AFP.

Afghanistan secured their maiden World Cup qualification in October last year, after finishing second in the World Cricket League Championship with a victory over Kenya. The win capped off a remarkable run for Afghanistan five years after they began their cricketing journey by winning Division Five of the World Cricket League.

Earlier in March, Afghanistan participated in their first Asia Cup and beat hosts Bangladesh. They had a poor World Twenty20, though, winning only one of their three first-round matches, and failed to qualify for the main draw. They also went down to Nepal in the league stages.

"We had a few good results in the Asia Cup where we beat the hosts Bangladesh," Khan said. "But our batsmen did not handle pressure well in the World Twenty20."

Sohail said he was aiming at making the players more competitive at the World Cup next year. "It will definitely be fun to coach the exciting players from Afghanistan and I will try to make them competitive enough to play against the world´s best teams next year," he said.

Afghanistan were given a grant of $1 million by the ICC after qualifying for the World Cup and the governing body has also arranged camps in Australia and New Zealand later this year. Afghanistan are placed in Group A of the draw alongside Australia, New Zealand, Scotland, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and England and will play their first match on February 18, 2015 against Bangladesh.