The Afghani minnows may have lost by seven wickets but they were far from being disgraced on the cricketing world stage, with this final considered just the latest step of their extraordinary rise. Ten years ago, cricket did not officially exist in Afghanistan. It was suppressed, like most things, by the Taliban, but in 2001 after religious leaders relented, Afghanistan was recognised by the International Cricket Council.
Two years ago, in 2008 Afghanistan entered Division Five of the World Cricket League, the lowest rung of cricket's international ladder and were playing the likes of Japan, Germany and Vanuatu.
Now due to two years rapid development by a group of raw but passionate cricketers it is one of the top 12 nations competing in the 20-over World Cup. Many of the player's from this side learnt the game of cricket as children in the refugee camps set up with Pakistan during the occupation of the former Soviet Union in the 1980s.
Nowroz Mangal, the captain of the Afghanistan side, learnt to play cricket in a refugee camp with a ball made out of cloth and shoes for stumps.
The Afghani players had, and still have little material benefit with player's receiving a day rate of about $85 when they are on tour, compared to other international players that can earn up to 1.6million for seven weeks of work.
But what they lack in worldly benefits they have gained in valuable life lessons according to player Raees Ahmadzai. "One of our first coaches gave us some advice," Ahmadzai says. "He said: `Respect the pads, respect the cap, respect all your cricket equipment . . . and you guys, by the reason of cricket, will see the whole world"
Ahmadzai in an interview with 'The Times' discussed both his and his teammate's role as ambassadors for their country.
"We were not involved in the war. We bring peace to our country. I am an ambassador. I will show my culture to the rest of the world, that we are not a warrior people."
We as Christians are called to be ambassadors just like the Afghani cricket team. We are called to be ambassadors for Christ, with our goal being to take his message of reconciliation and our faith out into the rest of the world.
Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:20 states that "We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God."
But unlike the Afghani cricketers, Christians are a warrior people called to be fearless in the face of persecution.
"Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly as I should" Ephesians 6: 19-20