JOHANNESBURG: Afghanistan begin the final leg of an amazing cricket journey Wednesday in South Africa hoping it will lead to the 2011 World Cup.

The Afghan adventure began last year in the tranquil English Channel island of Jersey where they won a tournament of minnows before achieving further glory in Tanzania and Argentina against increasingly stronger opponents.

And at Vaal University south of Johannesburg they face Denmark in the first of five fixtures in Group B of the Cricket World Cup Qualifier, which includes Bermuda, Kenya, Netherlands and the United Arab Emirates.

A top-four finish would take Afghanistan to the Super Eights phase with the countries occupying the first four places on the final standings securing places beside the giants of the game at the quadrennial World Cup.

Should the Afghans secure a berth it would complete a fairytale without equal in the history of Cricket World Cup qualifying and give the war-torn nation a desperately needed boost.