Everyone likes an underdog. They create sporting drama like no one else, should they surprise. They create admirable story lines which can be applicable to several different walks of life, not necessarily on the playing field, but beyond that too. Teams in their infancy only get better with greater participation and exposure, not less. They should be encouraged, particularly in an age where sports are competing for globalisation on the world scale. 

The end result is not the be all and the end all. Take the Afghanistan national cricket team who have made unprecedented progress to qualify for the forthcoming 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup, having been in division five of the World Cricket League in 2008. For a country who have suffered appallingly, the rise of their cricket team has improved the social lives of the Afghani people and given them something to enjoy in testing times. It's about the journey. It's about the story. It's about the remarkable progression. With more exposure, funding and playing opportunities, they will only get better. No one improves overnight or without being knocked down along the way as part of the learning curve. 

Technically, they are aggressive ball strikers, prepared to take the aerial route and challenge their boundary hitting capabilities. They have a variety of both seam and spin bowling stocks to work with. Their fielding can be sloppy and shoddy, a definite work in progress. However, perhaps most significantly they have a sense of team camaraderie, all in it together with a shared goal. Togetherness and shared ambitions are the hallmarks of successful sports sides. It’s a fundamental starting point. And Afghanistan has it in abundance.

Associates have caused upsets over the years. Associates are stronger than they ever have been in the game. Through the advent of Twenty20, because of the dicey nature of the format where the chances of upsets increase as there is less time for a stronger team to comeback should they be having an off day, associates are gaining greater confidence on the world stage.

High profile championships such as a World Cup lose its value with only a small number of sides playing. The greater the numbers of participants the better, assuming the format of the competition isn’t a drag. It’s time cricket abandons its elitist attitude and plays a more encouraging and supportive role towards their growth and subsequently the growth of the game, too.

Afghanistan have the potential to win a few games against teams such as Bangladesh and Scotland at the World Cup, both who have prior experience in the mega tournament. It’s a triumph just to reach where they are, given the odds stacked against them. However, they will dearly want to make their presence felt and walk away with some wins. Otherwise, it’s a bit like going to Rome and not seeing the pope. Regardless of the results, this is only the start of a remarkable sporting journey of a country who have suffered appallingly down the years. There is light at the end of the tunnel and thankfully sport is taking a pivotal lead in this.