Test Match Special - CWC Day 20: Captain Morgan's Joy of Six

Episode Date: June 18, 2019

England have gone top of the World Cup standings thanks to an astonishing blitz of six hitting from Eoin Morgan, writing himself into the record books in the process.And whilst it was Afghanistan's bowlers on the receiving end of the barrage, we discuss their remarkable journey from the sport being banned by the Taliban to mixing it with the best on the world stage.

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. The Dakar Rally is the ultimate off-road challenge. Perfect for the ultimate defender. The high-performance defender, Octa, 626 horsepower twin turbo V8 engine and intelligent 6D dynamics air suspension. Learn more at landrover.ca. Hello, I'm Owen Morgan. Welcome to the TMS podcast of the Cricket World Cup.

Morgan waits bat raised. Here it comes. Oh, it's gone straight into the sponge again. That's the most ever sixes struck in a one-day international. By anybody you won't see a more destructive exhibition of hitting than that. I don't think even your wildest dreams you could play any things like that. But Owen Morgan has just done it. Absolutely blistering onslaught.

Welcome to Old Trafford where England have gone top of the World Cup standings thanks for an astonishing blitz of six-hitting from Owen Morgan. The England captain teeing off for 17-6s against the Afghan bowlers and most ever by an individual player in any international match. So not Afghanistan today in the field, they will discuss their remarkable journey from cricket being banned to mixing it with the best on the world stage. Available every day during the cricket world.

This is the TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. Right, where do we start? I think we start with Andy Zaltzman taking us through just some of the records that have been established today. And stats have really caught your right ending. Well, I guess you have to begin with Owen Morgan's 176s, the most that have been hit in an international innings in any format. England's 25-6s, the most sixes hit by a team in a one-day international. national innings and the 33 sixes that we saw in the match with Afghanistan's eight sixes added is the most scored in a World Cup match so yeah it was a good day for six hitting and this had been coming into this World Cup the slowest scoring of the one day grounds in England this decade unhappily Rashid they're the most expensive yes the most expensive bowling analysis in the history of World Cup cricket breaking the record that had stood since the 1983 World Cup Martin Sneddon of New Zealand can send Rashid Khan a bunch of flowers and say thanks for knocking him out of the record

books seat. I've been there for a long time. Great. More from Andy Lato, because it has been that sort of day. It's an absolutely astonishing day, really. 33-6s we've seen here today. And 11 of them were hit off Rashid Khan, and he had never conceded more than two in an innings before today. And you worked out on average of Owen Morgan, who's currently hitting a six, almost every eight balls in this tournament. In this tournament, yeah. So you had five before.

today, 17 more today in the 71 balls that he faced. Michael Vaughn's here. We didn't expect that. I mean, you can turn up sometimes, can't you? You're a little ground and you can think, oh, you know, a top team against someone who hasn't won anything and you give you a high score of this one, do you think? But 33-6s?

Yeah, it's Old Trafford. Yeah, remarkable. Certainly didn't have that in the equation before the start of play. Winning the one of the toss, I thought that was game over. We thought that he would get a decent score, but it's the manner of which the batting. I think they're playing with great maturity. Owen Morgan will get all the headlines as he should,

but it's that partnership between Johnny Baxter and Joe Root. They're just on a game day like this. You can allow Afghanistan into the corner, and England teams of the past in one day cricket would have allowed an opponent like this into the game with two or three early wickets, and all of a sudden there'd be a partnership, and there'd be a little bit of a panic on in the afternoon.

But that partnership between Berser and Root, took the sting out the game, sensible just not the ball around. Brut's just the glue in this team which allows the likes of Johnny Bears to once he gets to 50 to kind of kick on and go aggressively. Morgan came in, what did he do, just did a few around, then all of a sudden he got into

his six hitting mode and he went from there and, you know, when you start hitting sixes like that, these boundaries are quite big. Now when you get to smaller venues and you're hitting six, you think, well, you should be, but to our right as we look, that is a big hit. All right, the wind was blown across and he's kind of got a good

piece of willer in his hand and he's strong and he's fit but he was hitting it into the stands you know into the party stand halfway up it was tremendous strike and when you think you know sometimes when you play lesser teams you're looking at the bowling attack and you're saying well who's that who's that who's that well this is Rashid Khan you know Mohammed Nabi you know experienced pros in one day cricket T-20 leagues around the world those two players are one of the first two picks that franchises want because of that good and they offer so much all-round brilliance well whether Rashi Kandis bowled the wrong pace there.

Certainly, I've never seen him kind of tossed the ball up so high in a one-day game. But Owen Morgan just decided to start striking. And I almost felt sorry for Joe Root. He was at the non-strike setting. He was thinking, well, I'll just give you one. Yes. You're hitting it that well. I'll be supporting him.

Yeah, and then he tried to try. And then when Joe started trying to hit it, he obviously, he's not that kind of player. And he is the glue. He's the reason why those players can play the way that they do. And while ever Joe Root's out there, I think he gives the whole. team confidence but you know that was a striking of the highest order just to pick up on the point you made I mean you've watched a lot of England playing over the years you've been involved too it's often been the case where England

have come up to one of these games it's all sort of you know potential banana skins you're talking about and there's not like you know you see other teams come with the Afghanistan's and the Bangladeshes of years ago easily somehow England have always been a bit tentative against them but I mean the attitude today was just completely different they're much more ruthless today I just Look at the last three performances. Bangladesh, banana skin, Hamadam. West Indies at the Hampshire Bowl.

Banana skin, if you say, hammered them. And now here at Old Trafford on a used pitch, we're all thinking, oh, if Afghanistan win the toss and have a bat and get $2.50, it's not going to matter against this England side. They're just too good. They've got too much experience. You know, we've said it for a long time that it just comes down to two games. Can England play to this fashion with this aggression when it matters in a semi-final?

and then can they do it again in a final to win that semi-final? The semi-final to me is the big game. I have a, you know, because of two years ago in the Champions Trophy, semi-final, that is the game, and then obviously, can they do it again? They've got all the ingredients to win a World Cup.

There's no question that they've got enough talent. You're always skeptical about mentality on a real pressure day because, you know, they don't get put under that one-off day pressure often, you know, it's going to be that semifinal. Yeah. Will they get put under that amount of pressure in the last three games,

the big three games at the end of the, the group stage is possibly not because I think they're going to have qualified with the way that the groups are going and it will be can they get a Morgan or a root or a butler or a Stokes playing to the standard we've seen in the last three days in a semi-final and that's going to be the big if from the others I mean okay just want to be focused on England's batting James Vince we know he has had a bunch of cricket and so therefore

in a way he's on a bit of a hiding to nothing today because he's just had a few indoor nets and that's his lot I'm going to say it's when he last batted but he did have an opportunity today and I'm looking beyond the World Cup if he just I don't know

if he's done something headline grabbing because I mention one name Johnny Baster Johnny Bester was in that position two years ago he wasn't in this team and then he got an opportunity and what do he do grab it straight away the problem that James Vince has had over the last few games

he keeps getting opportunities and he's not grabbing it gets to 30 plays great gets out gets to 40 plays great gets out to 20 today playing OK gets out. You know, and at this level, you know, you might not get many more opportunities. You know, and that's unfortunately the position that James Vince has found himself. He's a good player, you know, but he can only be deemed good by getting 20s and 30s and 40s.

If he wants to be an England player and stay in the team for a while, he's got to make the opportunities count. He's got to stay and he's got to get bigger scores as Johnny Baxter did. And what did Johnny do two years ago? He stayed in the side because he put numbers on the board. And that is the only thing you can do. When you're a batsman, your currency is runs. Your currency isn't going to keep you in the side by getting 20s and 30s. And this Friday at Heidel, the pitch will be great.

You know, you've seen the one day wickets headily. It'll be flat. The outfield will be quick. One more opportunity. He's got to make it count because who knows, that might be his last opportunity before that test match series against Ireland. And the team is picked. You know, he's not going to go back into county cricket. He's in the World Cup squad.

He'll probably in the back of his mind, not admitted it. But he probably hopes that Jason Roy's hamstrings a little bit worse than expected and you know he might get that game against australia as well he might get the indian game but you know he's got to take these opportunities these pitchers are good the balls aren't doing the best time to bat is opening the batting you asked joe root about opening the bat in at the hampshire ball he thought great yeah just two fields out for the first ten hours just play orthodox shots you're going to get two probably boundary options and over because the balls aren't swinging there the pitches are true there's no one even

bounce you've got to get big numbers at the top of the order in this year of one-day cricket if you're getting 20 and getting out i'm afraid that's not bad banging down the door. No, it is frustrating because he just looks apart, doesn't he just looks a lovely player, lovely timer, a nice straight, a nice high elbow. I mean, it's all, it's very stylish, and then he just finds a way of getting out. Yeah, he plays nicely, and, you know, you wish sometimes that he didn't play as nice, but he got bigger runs.

You know, I think sometimes you can score runs that just look pure all the time, and he plays pure cricket strokes. It's a glorious cover drive. It's a glorious drive down the ground. Now again, he plays nice pull strokes. I do have a concern about the way that he's playing his pull shot. I think he's coming from low to high. So when it's above him, you know,

he's not getting his hands above the ball and controlling it down into the ground. He's just going up with it. You know, in any format of the game, once you're doing that, you're going to give the opposing team chances. And Friday's a big day. Big day for him. He'll have to get a big score.

Afghanistan, batting-wise, let's face it, they've had a pretty rotten tournament, haven't they, as far as the batting's concerned. But, you know, to knock up Best Pallel of 250 is a good effort. I mean, they've taken something out of today.

Well, I think that's what they've got to do for the rest of the World Cup. I don't see them winning too many games, but can they improve? They've improved today. A lot of spirit. Play some good shots. I like the flamboyant style.

You know, against the spinach, you kind of think that as soon as there's any kind of fight, they're going to try and whack it for six. Running between the wicket, they can improve. There's areas that they can get a lot better, and that's a positive side for Afghanistan. They played all right with the bat in hand,

but there's so many things. If you were looking as a coach, you'd be able to sit them in the dress and myself, you know, you can just rotate the strike a little bit better. You can probably create a little bit of a different angle to some of the bowlers than one or two were quite easy to bowl to. They got a bit shut off.

And, you know, I like the way that they play the cricket. You know, with the bowling hand, they'll be disappointed because their main strength is the bowling. You know, and they weren't quite at the race with the bowling hand. today. I think, I think their main strength

is their character. Aren't they just absolutely? Other supporters. Yeah. They've got great support. They've got such spirit.

I mean, they really have. They clearly believe that they can win anything. They really believe they could go out. They came out and played shots. They didn't just come out and have a bit of practice

against the big boys, as it were. They came out to win the game. Although they had to score best part of 400, that didn't phase them at all. I mean, when they get, really good resources together and they've been established

as an international team for a while if you throw that character in look at the next World Cup where it played India now four more years of experience for Afghanistan the pitchers in India will suit their style of cricket

it'll suit their style of batting you know certainly the likes of Rashi Khan Nabi they'll still be playing and they're going to be four more years of experience through international cricket through all the franchise leagues around the world they'll find I'm sure a few younger players and, you know, they'll need to find, you know, two or three batsmen,

but, you know, if they can, you know, I really feel it in four years' time. I can't think that they can go on and win it, but they'll certainly be able to push some of the bigger scenes more so than they have done in this tournament. Yeah. Addo O'Sheed has had a, by his standards, anyway, in one they could get a bit of a slow start, should we say, to the tournament. Three for today, and three for 66 from his 10, smile back on his face once again.

Yeah, I mean, I mean, that full toss that you got the wicket with, that sums up cricket, really. He's bowled okay in this walk-up without any look. He gets that little bit of fortune, ends up with a nice wicket hall today. The one thing, when I watch Adel, and he's been great for him in one-day cricket

in particular over the last few years, it's because I feel that he's spun the ball down the end to try and get a wicket. The one thing I'll say over the last two weeks that I've watched him ball, I feel that he's been putting the ball there. And I feel when Adel received bowling at his best, he fizzes it, and he spins it, and he's spinning the ball into length,

not just putting the ball into length. And by doing that, he just gets a little bit more purchase. And when they're starting to hit him, he just gets a little bit of purchase. If they just miss hit it slightly, it goes in the air. Whereas at the minute, when I see it going full, it's almost like just being put there, and there's no revolution.

So they're just striking through the line of the ball, and it's going for six. So I would just advise him, just spin it. Get it spun. He will bowl the odd bad ball. He's a leg spinner, but if he can get the revolutions on the ball, I'm pretty sure that he'll create an opportunity. opportunities over the next two or three weeks.

Just a thought. Do you think this is the best balance to England's team? They let plunk it out today. Okay, he hasn't been very well, but I think Mowing was always likely to play because it's a used pitch. I mean, do you prefer this balance? Yes, I do, because I think, you know,

we're not going to have the weather that we've had last week. It's not going to be raining for the next three weeks. I think it will allow the pitches to get dry. I think England will need the three spin options and you put Joe Root as the third. Four seamers is plenty. I don't think you need five seam options. four is plenty, and I like the fact you've got four seamers, three spinners,

and you've got plenty of variations and options. And also, you've got, you know, Wooden Joffar Archer and 90-mallow now balls, but the different. Stokes is a different ball to Wokes. You know, and I would say, you know, Liam Plunkett's been very good for Ingram. He has. I would say this is probably the attack that Ingram will go with. You think? Yeah, I mean, Plunkett has done well, and he's being very much part of that.

There's middle overs coming and getting wickets, and he's been striking the ball well, too, which I know is not necessarily what he's absolutely there to do, but he's it's tough isn't it's tight I can't see how you can't drop Mark Wood

you're not going to drop job for Archer and Chris Spokes all around has been brilliant you know and he's just starting to get a little bit

of zip back with that new ball and he's looking threatening and he's bowling at the right times his fielding's very good and obviously

he's done well with the bats so it's harsh on anyone that misses out of this England 11 but I would think that this formation that we've seen here at Old Traff

and maybe the formation that goes forward and Moein having hit those runs today A bit of confidence restored there perhaps Yeah and we know with Moines Alley He is a confidence As soon as he finds confidence

He's very very hard to stop So the nine balls where he struck 34 Sixes off in the nine that he was out there for Just a little boost like that For he no pressure on him He was under no pressure in the game situation He knew that he could just try and strike it to the boundary And he did it well

He also bowled pretty nice So it's got to see Moe him back in confidence Certainly is Right the moment has arrived I can see the England captain there putting on his headphones it's a it's a it's a long ranger this uh owen i'm looking i'm just up here too high to your left we can give you give you a wave from up there there we go you're supposed to have a bad back yeah i well i had extremely bad back after the last game

where it was southampton but our medical staff i've i've done wonders um with um medication and extensive treatment the last few days um i've pretty much been living with the physio um since who else is about 6 o'clock this morning trying to get fit for this game. So every minute of attention that was paid has really paid off today. It just seems utterly extraordinary that you can, we watch you hobble off on Friday, barely able to move, and then you come out and hit more sixes than anybody has ever done in any format of international cricket. Yeah, it's madness, to be honest.

I haven't really thought about it a lot, but it is madness. I mean, when my back goes into spasm like that, it creates an immense amount of pain, and particularly in the area that it was. I'm very thankful that it's nothing too serious. And like I said, the work the guys and the medical staff have done, have obviously allowed me to not only play, but go onto the field and allow me to play that I did. I thought going out and being able to play like that really was set up

by the guys at the top of the order. I thought Afghanistan ball beautifully in the first ten overs. They really did take advantage of conditions they used Mujib very well. James Vince and Johnny Berso started really well and I thought Joe Root was as good as he is ever going at a run of ball never slacking, always looking

to take the game to the opposition that sort of allows either myself Josh Butler or Ben Stokes to come in and take a few more risks than we normally would Yeah, can you take us out there Owen? I mean do you decide you're going to play like that? And what happened?

You can't suddenly... Can you? I don't know I'm going to go out there and just smash everything for six today Please enlighten a rather poor and strobing number 10 It's not something that happens in my life very often I think probably to get a clearer idea You'd be better off speaking to somebody like Josh Butler Or Johnny Beirstow who do it on a regular basis But it happened to you today

Yeah, I don't know It still really hasn't sunk in I was just trying to put pressure on their bowlers It was the stage of the game Where guys coming in behind me can strike it at a really high rate So it was time to get my acting in acting gear and I suppose cracked the whip a little bit. Yeah.

You went ballistic after you were dropped. I mean, that was really when it completely went. Was you 120 or 46 balls when you were dropped out there at a deep midwicket? Was it just going to make them pay? Or was that just coincidence? No, I think complete coincidence. I made a decision that I was going with the win.

Rashid Kand had a feel that I actually quite like batting against. So I was just going to take it on. And at that stage, you know, Joe was in at the time. It allowed us to sort of either rotate the strike or take a risk on like that so I was quids in at that stage

you can give Joe Roots some stick by the way do you know your partnership 189 do you know how many he scored of those no idea 43

I mean you gotta put really he normally outscores me every game we play 43 out of 189 you scored 142 of them I mean it is it is I mean you've been playing a long time

Owen I mean this is one of those really truly remarkable days isn't it? It is. Like I said, everything I could probably

bar that getting dropped early a little bit of look everybody needs along the way and it happened to me in my day

so it'll be no doubt it'll be somebody else is that headingly and then again on loads

hopefully and I think if we continue to have days like this I think the campaign will be in good

shed. Good man. Just the last one for you I mean often I've watched England play teams like this

and they're bit nervous and anxious and tentative and people talk about banana skin but you've absolutely stamped yourself all over this. We've played extremely well

and I thought probably the most impressive part of today was the first 10 or 15 overs that we played. I thought when the ball's turning like it was and beating the bat quite often it's not easy to get momentum going and get runs on the board but I thought the guys at the top of the order really did an outstanding job.

Enjoy your night, Owen. Thanks for entertaining us. Thanks guys. It's been absolutely brilliant. Thank you very much indeed. Just amazing And as always with Owen Morgan, very self-effacing. He's a lovely chap to interview. And he'll be doing a few more of those as we go around. I'll tell you what I took from that. When he said, Rashid Khan had a feel that I liked facing.

Yes. Now, if I'm the opposing team's face... You might just have a look at that. I'd be back on the TV and go, what field did they have? What did they have? Well, they had mid-off. And he knew that the Googler was coming. As soon as it came, he just went with it and hit it over mid-off and hit it straight.

Of course, the drop was at deep mid-wicket. isn't it? But there's just a mistimed six. Andy, any more? Well, on England's six hitting this tournament, which is 25 today, they already hit 22 before today. So 47 off 1,402 balls this World Cup. They're hitting a six every 30 balls. By comparison in the previous World Cup, they hit a six every 81 balls. And in 2011, they hit a six every 158 balls. So it shows this style of batting we've become accustomed to from England since that 2015 revolution. every day during the Cricket World Cup.

This is the TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. Well, you can see the highlights of all of that, of course, and there's many of them on the BBC Sport website and app. You'll enjoy those. Thanks, Michael, very much indeed. And do you stay with me? Let's get some more England reactions, shall we? Stefan Schemilt has been out and about.

BBC Sports, Mark Wood. Welcome to the Test Match special podcast. Tell us what it was like watching Owen Morgan, your captain, flog the ball to all parts of Manchester today. Amazing. It was amazing. Delighted for him. All the group came out and watched.

Normally a lot of lads sit in the back. I'm normally one of them, but it was so special that I had to get out and watch it. You know, we're a team that's probably used to trying to smash the ball everywhere. I think when Rudy and Johnny were looking at maybe 28, 3, 10, somewhere around that mark. And then Morgie just came in and blazed it. And the whole dressing was so delighted for him,

especially after his injury scare, that he could perform like that. How's it coming out for you today? quick enough to hit Hashmatullah on the head. How does that feel from a fastball's point of view? Well, I hit him hard. I was a bit concerned about him. He seemed to pass all the tests and stuff. Then it was just back in the game mode.

But originally when I first hit him, it's just making sure that he's okay. And he played really well. It was gutsy and proved that he's obviously a international player. You said before the game that you weren't taking Afghanistan lightly, you've won this game now on to Sri Lanka where a win on Friday could put you on the verge of the semi-finals

yes and it Henley which is a ground that we I think we've done well out over the years and we're well supported there so hopefully the Sri Lankans are a little bit bothered by the cold weather and we can get another result there and that will push us right at the table leading into

the three big matches at the end any Love Island last night yes a little bit Liam Plunger wasn't very well so I had to watch it by myself, so I still catch up with another topic of discussion. Tom Curran's very happy that he was the one chosen to be on Love Island, so I think he would thrive if he went in. So now you're talking to all the listeners of the Test Match Special podcast.

You've got your column on the BBC Sport website. Maybe the listeners of the TMS podcast could email for the next topics of discussion for your column. Absolutely. I think the more the merrier, the more ideas wouldn't get. I'd like to keep it probably non-cricot, if I'm honest. If there's anything you want to know about the dress room or anything you want to know behind the scenes and get in touch your questions and I'll answer them as best I can.

Thanks, Mark. Thank you. From BBC Radio 5 Live, this is the TMS podcast at the Cricket World Cup. So, Afghanistan remained winless at this tournament with their participation at the top of the World Games a fabulous story in its own right. The Afghan cricket ball was only formed in 1995

as the Taliban had banned the sport from being played. But its popularity has risen and thanks to the Afghan Connection charity, 285,000 children living in challenging environments have been helped and part of their work has been to build over 100 cricket pitches and running coaching camps in provinces all over the country. So a very warm welcome to the TMS podcast,

the charity's founder, Dr Sarah Fane, OBE, and you've met the Afghan president here today at Old Trafford. It's the most incredible privilege. I've worked out in that region for 30 years, and today I met the president. And he's incredibly excited, and I think he was emphasising the pride that the country really feels about the rise of the Afghan cricket team.

Yeah, I mean, that really, I suppose, really illustrates it, doesn't it? The fact that the President's come to see them play. I think that's it, absolutely. This is a really incredible day. Incredible day for cricket and an incredible day for Afghanistan. Takes back to the beginning, though, and when you first started going out to Afghanistan a long time ago, but what was it like?

And was there any cricket there? Well, I've been traveling to that region for about 30 years. First of all, as a medical student and doctor in the 80s and then in 2001 under the Taliban. And in 2002, I set up a charity in Afghanistan, and I've been traveling there ever since. And there wasn't any cricket there before. You know, you didn't see cricket. It was a country, particularly in 2001, my visit there, it was a country absolutely devastated by 23 years of war at that time, 40 years now. And there wasn't any cricket.

There wasn't sport. There wasn't much education. there wasn't much anything except for the war and now when I travel I see cricket everywhere you know they've got I think it's something like 320 cricket teams they've got cricket in 32 of the 34 provinces it's the most incredible story under the Taliban I mean that seems extraordinary

what was that period of your life like it was the most incredible part of my life I think and it changed my life totally travelling in Afghanistan at that time because it was such a repressive regime and so much had been destroyed it was as if they'd been catapulted back into biblical times and so I came back from that visit really wanting to do something

because what I saw in the Afghan people was what we see in the Afghan cricket team is this incredible indomitable spirit you give a little bit and they grab it and they just and that's why I love this because it's given me the chance for the world to see what I see in Afghanistan

done, this wonderful spirit of determination. But for a female doctor to be operating in that environment, I mean, that must have been interesting, but it mildly. I mean, welcome by the Taliban? No, I didn't really come across too much of the Taliban. I tried to keep my head down and travel very under the radar. But I was doing clinics for women. And so I heard the stories of what life was like in that time and I also saw lots of refugee camps where people had to flee the war and I heard about families that have been torn apart by the war and the terrible sort of repression of that regime yes but particularly repression of women too and I mean did you feel in danger at all I mean if someone had I don't know giving you away or something I think that before I go to afghanistan every time

before I visit there I always feel apprehension but when I get there anyone sitting in the crowd today near any Afghans will learn about their hospitality. You know, they're the most hospitable people, and particularly in the rural areas. You know, you're so welcome into their homes. They took me into their homes at the end of the day when I had nowhere to stay. You know, I really grew to love the people.

Make it sound very tempting. I'm hoping for a England cricket tour there soon. I really hope so. That would be wonderful. And how did you get involved with the cricket side then? So you went there in 2001 or thereabouts, and then you... So they were getting cricket then,

were they, was that just starting up? Yes, it was. They'd just beginning. They'd started in 1995 with their federation. I think they did the first trials in 2003. And yes, and we were doing education projects in Afghanistan, which we still do. We've built 46 schools across the country and we're trying to get access and completion of education for girls as well as boys. And then my son, one of my sons said to me, come on mum, we should be helping the Afghan cricket team. He'd read that they were doing well. They'd just played at Sandhurst, but they were in Division 5. They didn't have much support. So we took out lots of bats and balls and kit

to the Afghan National Academy which was a dust field in Kabul and handed it all out and from then they went to Jersey and they started playing in tournaments internationally and they just kept winning and so we then got in touch with the MCC through Matthew Fleming

and we started working all across Afghanistan with young people trying to get grassroots cricket going across the country. It's a great example of what the MCC does actually because certainly I know Robin Marla when he was president. He wanted, he spotted something about Afghanistan and saw the opportunity. And this really is a case, I think, of how the MCC has slightly changed its role. But what it's done with Afghanistan is a really good example of what it does now do for cricket in the world.

Absolutely. And I think that they've been very excited by the journey. You know, Matthew came out to Kabul with me. Philip Hodson came out to Kabul. The FCC's been incredible with their support. And I think they've really enjoyed just. see what an exciting thing it is if you invest a little bit and we've now built 100 cricket pitches across Afghanistan and in schools we've had 100,000 kids involved in our projects we've done

tournaments we've just done a whole series of World Cup celebration tournaments because I wanted the kids to enjoy the celebration of what their country are doing yeah I mean is everyone aware of cricket now do you think in Afghanistan I don't think anyone's unaware of cricket it's interesting because I work in very very remote areas and there used to be no communications no televisions but now televisions are getting everywhere. And so everywhere you go, you know, if I say to people, if I start talking about the names of the Afghan cricket team, it's an instant way to get into the hearts of the Afghan people

because they love the fact that I know their team. Yes. Because girls, boys, everybody loves the team. Yeah. And that story of them crossing over, displaced and into camps and sort of picking up cricket there from the Pakistanis up in that north frontier area, which is a beautiful part of the world. I mean, lucky enough to do the Pakistan side.

I've never been to Afghanistan, but I mean, that also rings true, does it? I mean, that really was kind of how that cricket was interesting cricket was generated. Totally, yes. I think they grew up in those refugee camps, and I was just reading about it on my way up here. You know, with boiling heat and no facilities, no electricity, no running water. But they saw cricket in Pakistan, and they got branches and women's washing bats to use, washing bits of wood, to use as bats. made balls sometimes by tearing up their shirts and covering it in sticky tape and

and it was cricket that kept them alive and you know and their spirit alive and they had this incredible dream led by Taj Malik I think that you know one day they would play in the World Cup and I think when they played in Jersey people thought they're a bit arrogant because they were talking about well we're going to be in the World Cup but they did it yes they are some sort of warrior like aren't they when they play cricket you can sieve I mean they're fast bowlers are really you know quite aggressive They are, but I think what's really difficult for us to understand is that every team playing in the World Cup, they have huge pressure on them.

But I think the pressure on Afghanistan is massive because the hopes of their people rest on their shoulders. It is so tangible. You know, right the way across Afghanistan, this has been a good news story. You know, it's been such a tragic 40 years. And it makes me emotional even to think about it. You know, they've got this wonderful story with these young men who've come, a lot of them, from the refugee. G camps and they make people believe that they can dream and that there is hope in life. And so I feel for these players because I think it's not just the pressure of playing on an

international stage, but it's that huge pressure of wanting to fulfill the dreams of their countrymen. What is there in Kabul now cricket-wise? I mean, is there a nice stadium where we can all go and play? Well, there's a beautiful stadium and unfortunately with the security, it can't be used as an international stadium and even Afghanistan have their home of cricket in India. But I really hope that one day it can be. You know, it hosts fantastic regional cricket tournaments which get packed out.

And I think there are 11 provinces now that have their own stadium. You know, the infrastructure is really growing in Afghanistan. So it's gone from zero to the World Cup in how many years would you say? Well, I'd say the last time, you know, when I think about handing over those bats and balls, Now when their cricket academy was that dust field and they were in Division 5, that was 2008, 9. And now here they are playing in their Second World Cup. And it's easy to criticise when they don't have the best, you know, they haven't had the best matches that they've ever had. You know, it's been difficult conditions.

They haven't played their best. But we mustn't forget this achievement. You know, they've been brought up in Afghanistan through all those years of war and here they are. And I think the whole world should be celebrating this. It's what cricket's all about. Available every day during the cricket. World Cup. This is the TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. Well, I think we can all share that sentiment. It's fantastic to speak to Dr. Fain and hear about

her inspiring work. Now, Andy Zeltzwin is still alongside me. Maybe we'll get to our emails from around the world in a second. But our old friend, Saj Sadiq, from Pact, Passion, he popped into the data series. From that website, he's reporting that a man has filed a petition in Goodwin-Waller civil court against the Pakistan cricket team after their defeat to India. The petitioner has called for a ban on the day. the cricket team while also asking for Innsvar Mulhuk's selection committee to be dissolved. I guess we're kind of expecting that, weren't we? Well, yes, maybe they could get some legal ruling to overturn the result.

I think that's probably their best hope of beating India in a World Cup match, actually, is to make it legally compulsory. What a legal ruling on what happened at the end of that game, but that's another matter altogether. Let's get an update on the number of countries then. We're now up to 123 out of our 193. It's still 70 to get, but we're actually halfway through the World Cup. Cup today. So there's still 70 to get. Why don't you start

with that one from Jeremy. Jeremy's working in Kinshasa with the UN. He says hello to the excellent TMS podcast from Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo. I've played three cricket matches here this month in the Kinshasa Premier League. I don't know if Chris Gale

has played in that one, has he? Not yet. Not yet. No. I wouldn't rule it out. The Kinshasa mega-blasters or something. I think he's playing it by Skype. The British Embassy team was hammered by our Indian colleagues. Each time, that is that ominous for the World Cup magazine? Let's hope not.

Let's hope not. But, uh, Kinshasa. There we go. That's fantastic. Robbie, good afternoon, TMS team. I'm currently listening to you while sat on the beaches of Samoa. I've been listening mostly in New Zealand, but a nice holiday in summer has helped me to add to your country list.

John Hunt says, I've been enjoying the podcast and commentary on the World Cup matches based in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Cricket is becoming increasingly popular. popular here with the MCC due to tour at the end of the year. Just testing all our pronunciations of things, isn't you? It really is. Simon Potter, chalk up the Bahamas,

says Simon, listening to the podcast and live coverage from a very rainy and wet Nassau Bahamas. Interestingly, the national sport of the Bahamas is cricket. Do you know that? I did not know that. I know in Samoa have their own version of cricket. I think it's called Killy Killy

or something like that. I apologize if I've got that. I'm very not wrong. I think involves triangular bats. Mark Brownbridge got in touch She's been listening in Myanmar And is now in Jordan He's not just flying over Is he an email from two different points

Of a flight back from Australia or something And Tom Heap says I'll be arriving in Madagascar for my honeymoon The day after the final That is an extremely badly timed marriage If you don't mind me saying so Wedding rather than marriage Sorry

And so I'll tune in to the podcast And tick the country off you Can I just recommend Do not tune in to a cricket podcast On your honeymoon No, I think it's a very bad form. Yeah, extremely bad form. No, we're not going to allow that. So, mind you, if it does tick off Mauritius, that'd be quite good. Yeah, go for it, Tom. And it can let us know how the reaction goes down. Sorry, love, I'm going to listen to the TMS podcast.

Wendy Smith got in touch. I'd like to offer my services to visit any countries that you haven't already mentioned. I'm recently retired. I'm an avid TMS list. I'll be perfect for the job. Wendy, we'd like to warn you if you take you up on your offer, the North Korea is on the list. I don't know how cricket goes down there. But anyway, okay, Wendy, we will bear you in mind. Also thanks to Charlie Veer Whiting in Trinidad, Ed Carmichael in Bulgaria and Ned Mortimer in Latvia. Fantastic. So there we go. We've still got a long way to go. We've got what 70 to get? So anyone else listening

anywhere, well, just different. Please let us know. So Wednesday's podcast comes from Edgebaston. It's making its tournament debut with New Zealand and South Africa in town. We've also got a special piece with Chris Wokes on the Art of Bowling at the Death. surely not long now to we have a proper final over nail biter

and we'll speak to you soon this is Owen Morgan thanks for listening to the TMS podcast at the Cricket World Cup there'll be a new episode each day throughout the tournament so make sure you subscribe

via your usual podcast app or via BBC Sounds where you can also hear commentary of every ball of the tournament you can also email the team TMS at BBC.com.com. Put podcast in the title

Thank you.