Against a backdrop of war and poverty, Out of the Ashes traces the extraordinary journey of a team of young Afghan men as they chase a seemingly impossible dream This feature-length documentary follows the Afghan cricket team in their quest against the odds to qualify for the World Cup. Executive produced by Oscar-winning director and cricket enthusiast, Sam Mendes, Out of the Ashes follows the squad over two years as they go from playing in their shalwar-kameezes on rubble pitches to batting their way around the globe and up the international league tables.