Six teams will try and take a step closer to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 this week when they compete in the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 4.

The event, which will take place in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania from 4 to 11 October, will feature Afghanistan and Jersey, who continue their odyssey having progressed from Division 5.

They will face tough tests from the likes of Fiji, Hong Kong, Italy and Tanzania if they are to finish in the top two and thus make it to Division 3 in Argentina in January 2009.

The top two sides from the Division 3 event will then progress to the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier in April 2009, with the top four sides from that making it to Asia in 2011 for cricket's global showcase 50-over event.

Hong Kong, the current ACC Trophy Elite winners is coached by former England batsman Aftab Habib and will surely be one of the favourites to win the Division 4 event. That said, it is likely to be pushed all the way by Italy, who defeated the Netherlands at the 2008 European Championships Division 1 and Jersey, who is coached by former South Africa Test batsman Peter Kirsten.

While Fiji will be hopeful of qualification despite missing its inspirational all-rounder Neil Maxwell (the former Australia A player and agent to some of Australia's leading lights) through injury, it will again be the story of Afghanistan's bid to qualify that will perhaps attract most attention.

The focus of the side will be on just making it through to Argentina but Afghanistan bowler Hamid Hassan admits he can't help but think about what it would mean to his country to make it the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.

"It's our dream to qualify for the 2011 World Cup," he said.

"I couldn't explain the feelings of happiness and joy if we get to achieve that. It will be a matter of pride for us to be watched live by the whole world on TV while representing Afghanistan," added the man who was one of the leading wicket-takers at the Division 5 event and who can reputedly bowl in excess of 140kph.

The Afghanistan team is benefitting from the experience of Kabir Khan, the former Pakistan international, who joined the squad earlier this month as coach. During a recent training camp in Peshawar, Pakistan he concentrated on bringing a more focused approach to the side's notoriously cavalier style of batting. Captain Narooz Khan Mangal believes that this is already having an immediate impact.

"After playing four matches in Peshawar, the most significant improvement is that now we are capable of batting out the complete innings of 50 overs whereas in the past we used to get out within 40 overs, wasting –10 overs," said Narooz Khan Mangal.

"Second, and more importantly, we have improved our line and length when bowling and we learned some valuable fielding tips, such as holding the ball and throwing it quickly," he said.

Zulfikar Rehemtulla, coach of Tanzania, believes that home advantage will help his side enjoy a successful competition, as it attempts to join Argentina, Cayman Islands, Papua New Guinea and Uganda in Division 3.

"It's a privilege to host the tournament and we are extremely happy to be the venue for this event," said Rehemtulla.

"I think it's our event to win, given that we have home advantage and experience of the climate in Tanzania. We have already played a lot of these teams in Darwin last year, so we know what to expect of some of them," he added.

The Pepsi ICC World Cricket was created to provide a clearly defined structure to progress and develop, from the leading Associate countries through to some of cricket's smallest Affiliate nations and has already become an integral part of the Pepsi ICC Development Programme.

ICC President David Morgan said: "The Pepsi ICC World Cricket League provides a pathway for the ICC's Associate and Affiliate Members so that the dream of qualification for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 can become a reality.

"The level of interest in the Division 5 tournament earlier this year highlighted the passion that exists for the development of cricket across the world and I expect to see an exciting and closely contested event in Dar Es Salaam as the six teams try to secure one of the two qualifying spots for Division 3 in Argentina."

Rashid Mehmood, Franchise Director, Sub-Sahara Africa, PepsiCo International added: "The tournament in Dar Es Salaam provides ICC Associate and Affiliate Members with the opportunity to reach the ICC Cricket World Cup and our support of the event illustrates PepsiCo's ongoing commitment to all levels of the game."

While the top two sides at this event will progress to the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 3, the third and fourth place winners will remain in Division 4 for 2010 while the fifth and sixth placed teams will return to Division 5 in 2010.