Colin Ingram, the captain of the Boost Defenders, wants his side to try and replicate the vibrant brand of cricket being played by the Afghanistan national side at present.
The South African T20 specialist will skipper the Shpageeza Cricket League side in this weekend’s Abu Dhabi T20, where they are placed in Group B alongside the Titans from his homeland and Auckland Aces.
Ingram accepts his James Foster coached side are the unknown quantity in the competition, albeit boosted by overseas players such as Ben Cox, Jeevan Mendis, Paul Stirling and Kyle Abbott.
But he is still confident of success to back up Afghanistan’s recent performances in the Asia Cup out here in the Middle East when they excited many by beating Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and securing a tie with India.
“We have a number of overseas guys, and there’s strength in there,” he said.
“Afghan Cricket is on the up at the moment, and I’m excited to see what their local guys can bring.
“Watching on TV, I’m a bit of a fan to be honest.
“They bring an excitement to the game.
“We are an unknown force, but Afghanistan have been doing steadily well over the last few years in international cricket, and I’m excited to see what the young guys can bring.
“Spending time with the son of Afghan Cricket in Rashid Khan in Adelaide and listening to their journey and the challenges they’ve faced has been fascinating.
“This weekend will be a nice challenge for our boys.
“The Titans look strong, for example, but a win against them would boost our morale.”
