DUBAI: Afghanistan are determined to use their resentment over being snubbed for the Asia Cup to fire them to a second appearance at the World Twenty20.
The Afghans are among the favourites to land one of the two places up for grabs at the 2012 finals in Sri Lanka in September and October when the 16-nation qualifying tournament starts on Tuesday.
But such has been the team's remarkable progress in recent years - from a ramshackle unit developing a love of the sport in refugee camps on Pakistan's wild frontier to attaining one-day status - that they believe they deserve more respect.
The team are angry that they were overlooked for the Asia Cup in Dhaka this week, where they could have faced regional powers India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
"We are not featuring in the Asia Cup, that is really disappointing," said hard-hitting batsman and off-spinner Mohammad Nabi, who was the leading wicket-taker when Afghanistan qualified for the 2010 World Twenty20 in the Caribbean.
