'We need consistent 50-over performances' - Nabi

For the first eight overs of India's innings, and the first 20 of Afghanistan's, the Associate nation lost little at all by comparison to the World Cup holders. Trouble arose further along the line, as Afghanistan were unable to sustain their level of skill and composure for deep enough into either innings.

Their captain Mohammad Nabi was frank in acknowledging this after India's 153-run victory, and pointed to the establishment of a more long-lasting standard in future matches as the key to their chances of making an impact in the World Cup. In Hamid Hassan, Usman Ghani and Nawroz Mangal, Afghanistan showed the talent to succeed in this tournament, provided adequate reinforcements can back up their early forays.

"It was quite a good start for the first eight overs, Hamid and Dawlat are both attacking bowlers," Nabi said. "After that the pitch became more of a batting track and also our bowlers couldn't bowl in the right places as well, and that is why they scored 364.

"We started well in the batting for the first 20 overs as well, and after that R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja bowled well, brilliant line and length and the ball came onto the bat skiddy as well. That's why we struggled later, but the plus is that we played 50 overs and it is good preparation for the World Cup.

"We started well in both bowling and batting. We need consistent performances like that for 50 overs. Hopefully we improve for the next game and we learn from that, how to improve in the batting, and hopefully we perform better in the first match in the Cup."

Such consistency is, of course, the difference between most Full Members and their Associate counterparts. The occasions when the smaller nations have managed to overpower their better-known counterparts have invariably come when the gap has been closed.

"It's quite different playing against Associate Members and Full Members," Nabi said. "The Associates have weaknesses, the Full Members not the same weaknesses. They are full of strong bowling attacks, spinners and batsmen, and their fielding as well. Associate teams have problems with not having the same good bowling or spinners, and just one or two quality batsmen. That's the difference."

Afghanistan now go on to their final warm-up match against the UAE in Melbourne, and from there they face Bangladesh in their opener. Nabi was asked what he expected from India's first match, against Pakistan in Adelaide on Sunday, and tried not to lean one way or the other.

"I can't say anything because both teams are good. And hopefully they just play very well, both teams' supporters will pack the ground, and hopefully the supporters will enjoy that game," he said. "From the last series in Australia, India did not perform that well, but you see today's match they were back into form. Hopefully they perform well against Pakistan."