Yes, Afghanistan, a team which did not even exist the last time this tournament took place (2004). Afghanistan has become my favorite associate team and they deserve to be other people's favorite associate team as well, they have come a long way. The won the ICC W.C qualifiers and got to face teams like India and South Africa and although lost, they did show their talent. They also won silver in the 2010 Asian games (lost to Bangladesh in the final) and they beat the Pakistan A side in the semi-final. I guess it's safe to say that Afghanistan are a little more than the Pakistan A side.
On the other hand Scotland have struggled to retain their place as one of the leading Associates since the last few years, not helped by funding issues and the toll increasing demands being made on their national players.
Afghanistan will definitely have the edge going into the final having won five of their six qualifying matches and more than held their own in their drawn game against a strong Zimbabwe XI. They have a really good side, wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Shahzad is the competition's leading run-scorer with 736 at 81.77, the rest of the top order all boast averages close to or over 40 while the lower middle-order more than capable of holding their own. Hamid Hassan is the pick of the bowlers, his 35 wickets at 21.57 has played a huge part in their success.
Scotland, on the other hand have struggled to be a settled side, their selector Qasim Sheikh has left Scotland's only batsman to score a hundred in the competition back home. Their batting line-up is weaker compared to Afghanistan, their bowling also looks weaker and that could be difference between the sides especially as to take the title Scotland have to win, and it is hard to see how they will bowl Afghanistan out twice in conditions which are really good for batting.
Good Luck to both teams!
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