The 2016 Asia Cup will undergo a change and convert to a T20 International competition and might see two additional Associate nations join the established four teams in the event.
Bangladesh come into this game under pressure as the relative favourites, having lost to Ireland in the warm-ups and having a dire build-up, while Afghanistan are pressure-free as the Associate underdogs.
The influence of two new balls from both ends, revised fielding restrictions, and T20 have transformed the predominant 50-over strategy, turning the ODI revolution of the 1990s inside-out.
ICC chief N Srinivasan took the opportunity during the World Cup final, while being interviewed in the commentary box, to defend the ICC's plan to reduce the World Cup to 10 teams in 2019.
If ever Afghanistan stood a chance of beating a Big Three team, this would be the match, with England already knocked out of the event and playing this final group match purely for pride.
England assistant coach Paul Farbrace has admitted that losing their final World Cup match against Afghanistan on Friday doesn't bare thinking about, and that such an event would make the loss to Bangladesh pale in comparison.
New Zealand have already qualified for the quarter finals at the top of the group, but have not opted to rest any players and Afghanistan will have to deal with a fully firing Black Caps unit in Napier.
To break the monotony, here are nine Unusual Suspects to keep an eye on over the next six weeks, most of whom are making their World Cup debuts. Young, talented, capable of winning a game for their nations.
Australia's fast bowlers will be eager to get going on a Perth deck that's made for them, but so will the talented Afghanistan pacemen, who could give the co-hosts a bit of a scare on Wednesday.
England made sure to spare themselves even more blushes by winning their final World Cup match, beating Afghanistan by nine wickets in Sydney after rain reduced the target to 101 in 25 overs.
Afghanistan coach Andy Moles said his side aim to finish their World Cup campaign on a high when they take on England in what will be both teams' final match of the tournament on Friday.
Afghanistan are the darling of world cricket, and all eyes will be on them as they take part in their first World Cup, having qualified by finishing second in the World Cricket League in 2013.
In the science fiction television series, Star Trek, set in the 24th century, baseball is an obscure sport that nobody plays or watches any more. On current trends, this will be the fate of cricket by the middle of this century.
New Zealand had little trouble overcoming Afghanistan in Napier on Sunday, with the bowlers ensuring a small target that the batsmen chased down with six wickets in hand.
Afghanistan coach Andy Moles will not use fatigue as an excuse if his team do not perform to their usual standards in their match against World Cup co-hosts New Zealand on Sunday.
Sri Lanka put themselves under massive pressure in their World Cup match against Afghanistan, batting poorly up front, but a cameo by Thisara Perera and a vital ton from Mahela Jayawardene saw them win by four wickets.
Australia broke a record that had threatened to fall all tournament, as they made 417 for six against Afghanistan on Wednesday, a new World Cup top score, and went on to win by a whopping 275 runs in Perth.
Both went on to lose their first two matches in the group stage, Afghanistan succumbing to a heavy defeat against Bangladesh before stretching Sri Lanka in their second game and Scotland taking seven wickets against New Zealand in defence of a small total before losing heavily against England.
The World Cup continued to throw up thrilling results between the Associate sides as on Thursday Afghanistan beat Scotland by a single wicket at the University Oval in Dunedin.
Wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim and allrounder Shakib Al Hassan were the main architects, with the bat, as Bangladesh beat Afghanistan by a comfortable margin of 105 runs in Canberra on Wednesday, in what was both teams' first outing at the World Cup.
Afghanistan will play their first-ever World Cup match on Wednesday when they take on Bangladesh, and coach Andy Moles hopes his players will be able to stay calm in such an emotional match.
Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusingha is putting all his faith in all-rounder Shakib-al-Hasan as they start their World Cup campaign against Afghanistan in Canberra on Wednesday.
Afghanistan rounded off preparations for their World Cup campaign with a close 14 run victory over the UAE in a warm-up match at the Junction Oval in Melbourne on Friday.
