I’ve been fortunate to spend some time around the Afghanistan cricket team over the years. The first time was in Perth ahead of the 2015 World Cup, where these wide-eyed players, who were visiting Australia for the first time, were a little over-awed about what lay ahead.
Facing a prime Mitchell Johnson on the WACA was a scary proposition but the players had an innate belief that it was a stepping stone to something special.
They were humble and respectful but – without sounding corny – they seemed to truly believe that it was their destiny to become a “great cricket nation”, as veteran a...