Geoffrey Boycott has a question, "Does anyone really care about the Twenty20 World Cup?" Now everyone knows Boycott was born grumpy and he was making a scheduling issue. The last World T20 was held in England less than 12 months ago and we're back at it again.

So naturally we're all expected to believe that the World T20 is roobish. But here in India, given that we've had six weeks of T20 and overdosed on sixes, dancing movie stars and income tax raids: we should care. At least I do.

Not about who wins the damn thing. Boycott said, "India do have a bit of an edge", but that's such a yawn-inducing line that not even the ICC would use it to sell their event. The World T20 will for a while be utterly delicious because what awaits us on day two of competition is the most romantic match-up in the game in recent years.

India v Afghanistan, Gros Islet, St Lucia, May 1, 13:30GMT.

Any cricket fan can who cannot smile reading those words must feel a twisted kind of love for the sport. I believe even the most loyal India supporters must quietly want the Afghans to give MS Dhoni's team both a fight and a fright.

The Indians arrive at the Beausejour Stadium backed by the biggest money in world cricket, the largest media contingent, a monstrously devoted fan base and nine-strong support staff. They will be up against cricketers who are nicknamed - some even numbered - after them. Opener Karim Sadiq is called Kabul ka Sehwag (the Sehwag of Kabul) while wicketkeeper Mohammed Shazhad, like MS Dhoni wears the No. 7 shirt.

Afghanistan will shake hands with India on a cricket field because in the last 18 months the team has shot up from the ICC's World Cricket League Division Five, earned ODI status and entered the World T20 by logging in wins over Ireland and the UAE.

Once again, cricket will bring onto its biggest stage men with new names - Stanikzai, Ahmadzai, Shenwari, Zadran. To western ears, that may sound Pakistani, but here in South Asia those names carry distinct tribal identity. Some of this team were born in the sprawling refugee camps in Pakistan, others in places whose datelines usually carry grim news. These are cricketers from Kabul, Khost, Kunduz, Nangrahar, the latter being the scene of a battle in 1989 where a Saudi Mujahideen ‘general' called Osama bin Laden became famous. Cricket, it's said, was the only sport the Taliban government allowed during its rule. Afghan coach Kabir Khan was quoted as saying it was because, "it had intervals for prayer breaks".

If the Indians are loved and worshipped, the Afghans now are a bedrock of pure belief for their people. Cricket is not a favourite sport but the cricketers are Afghanistan's new heroes. Matches are followed on the internet and the World T20 will be broadcast live. When they met President Hamid Karzai a few months ago he asked them to "just win the World Cup". And checked on cricket's "BMW rule'' with coach Khan.

All Afghanistan will get from the World T20 are two matches five days apart - India on Saturday and South Africa on May 5. What these cricketers from a country of conflict have already brought is a calming perspective to a sport often battling within itself over commerce, power and race.

Not so long ago, when asked about facing South Africa and India, the Sehwag of Kabul had said that Dale Steyn, "will be no problem". South African captain Graeme Smith, never one to give up a verbal joust, heard about that nobody opener declaring that he was unafraid of facing South Africa's most furious. Smith's response this week, "I wouldn't be either if I grew up in a war zone."

Still think the World T20 is not worth caring about?