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.
All the cricket fixtures and results you'll need for the six weeks of World Cup action are here, and fixtures will become results as the games progress.
Against the backdrop of war and hardship, a severe lack of facilities and funds, cricket in Afghanistan has grown at a phenomenal pace in a dozen years.
The ICC announced on Wednesday that Afghanistan and Ireland will join the 10 Full Members in the rankings-based qualification system for the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2019.
Afghanistan have appointed former Nottinghamshire fast bowler Andy Pick as their new bowling coach ahead of the World Cup, the fan-favourite side announced on Sunday.
Afsar Zazai and Usman Ghani have been included in Afghanistan's final 15-man squad for there maiden World Cup appearance, which starts in Australia and New Zealander in mid-February.
Afghanistan cricket coach Andy Moles believes the future is very bright for his team and envisions a Test future in a decade or two, especially as the Taliban have opted to back rather than hinder the team.
German associations based in Kabul have committed 700,000 Euros towards building a new cricket stadium in Afghanistan, the fourth in the country, and it will be constructed in the city of Khost.
It wasn't a vintage performance by any means, but Sri Lanka added to their bulging 2014 trophy case by winning the Asian Games final by 68 runs, beating Afghanistan in Incheon, South Korea, to take gold.
Former New Zealand and Scotland coach Andy Moles has been appointed new head coach of Afghanistan. Ex-Pakistan seamer Kabir Khan vacated the post earlier this month.
Afghanistan achieved a historic win in the fourth ODI against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo on Thursday, winning by 100 runs to draw the series and record only their third ODI win against a Test-playing nation.
Afghanistan won just their second ODI against a Test-playing nation, beating Zimbabwe by two wickets in the third ODI in Bulawayo on Tuesday, pulling the series back to two-one.
Batsman Sikandar Raza upstaged fellow centurion Usman Ghani, as Zimbabwe welcomed a comfortable eight-wicket win - and vital two-nil series lead - over Afghanistan in Sunday's second ODI at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.
Zimbabwe emerged six-wicket victors over Afghanistan in the first ODI in Bulawayo on Friday, reaching the 224 required with 28 balls to spare thanks to an all-round top-order effort.
Zimbabwe and Afghanistan have never met in international cricket - and this month's maiden ODI series will bring plenty of opportunity to increase the distance from Ireland and gain ground on Bangladesh.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced this week the appointment of Andy Moles as a batting coach for the National Team in its preparation for the World Cup 2015.
Chief executive David Richardson has countered suggestion that the International Cricket Council's anti-corruption and security unit is proving ineffective.
