5.05pm There we have our two qualifiers for the 2019 World Cup: West Indies and Afghanistan. Afghanistan's players collectively roar: "WE ARE IN!". Afghanistan had lost their first three games but then won four in a row to become the tenth and final team to qualify for the World Cup. Shahzad has already issued a warning to West Indies. Hope you enjoyed our coverage as much as we did bringing it to you. This is Deivarayan Muthu signing off on the behalf of Varun Shetty and P Ranjith. Cheers. Be back for the final on Sunday.
Hamid Seddiqi: "Whole Kabul is shaking with celebrations..."
5pm Let's hear from the two captains. Porterfield: First of all congratulations to Afghanistan. We were probably 25 runs short. Then again in games like this we can't fault anyone. We get back for some rest and recuperation. We had opportunities but we lost three games. We had some key moments but could not take it. Big things on the horizon.
Stanikzai: I am in too much pain but I was playing for the country. It is our dream to qualify for the World Cup. Afghanistan team played bad in first half but they played well and they believed in themselves.
4.45pm Who writes your scripts, Afghanistan? They did not have their captain Stanikzai in the league phase. Their key batsman Mohammad Shahzad was suspended for two matches. Their stand-in captain Rashid Khan said: "Sometimes a tournament doesn't go your way." They barely made it to the Super Sixes. Nepal then handed them a lifeline, then UAE handed them another lifeline. Afghanistan suffered a middle-order wobble today, and it looked like anybody's game in the end overs. Captain Stanikzai, coming back from a bout of appendicitis, eventually sealed Afghanistan's World Cup spot.
Shahzad, Man of the Match: We lost a couple of matches but we played good cricket in the Super Sixes. We had to win this game. The plan is simple: I was waiting for the loose ball and then I don't care. I just hit the boundaries. I believe in myself. The coaching staff say 'just play your natural game'. Oh! I can't believe we have qualified for the World Cup. Let's see West Indies, we are coming! (Shahzad points right at the camera)
Shahzad in #Bossmode. He's leading the Champyaan dance. Great scenes in the Afghanistan camp.
rb: "Amazing ! After loosing first 3 games, AFG needed to win all the rest & still required a very specific set of results in the other matches"
Afghanistan need one off the last over. This is all but over for Ireland and Zimbabwe
