Afghanistan Cricket Board planning to play their home games in England

Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) chief Hamid Shinwari has asserted that the board is hoping to sign an agreement with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to allow them to play home games on English soil. The aim of the ACB is to play regular series in England for which they have approached the ECB.

Afghanistan has been playing their home matches at the UAE so far. However, the ACB chief is hopeful about staging the home matches of the country against neutral opponents in England. He feels that it would be a big boost for the sport and play a vital role in supporting the youth of Afghanistan.

“We plan on visiting the UK next year and hopefully sign an MOU with Afghanistan to play regular series with an international team (in England). This would give us a big boost and support the youth of Afghanistan,” Shinwari was quoted as saying by The Telegraph.

England will have to seek permission from the government to allow Afghanistan for the same. After receiving advice from the government in the year 2008, ECB had cut ties with Zimbabwe and did not involve with the nation in any bilateral series since then. However, the decision on this matter would also rely vastly on the future of women’s cricket in Afghanistan.

Cricket Australia to cancel Test match against Afghanistan over Taliban’s view on women’s cricket

It was recently reported that the Taliban government has prevented women from playing the sport. Owing to this, Cricket Australia had stated that they would call off the Test match against Afghanistan if women are denied playing cricket in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan and Australia were staged to play a one-off Test match at Hobart. However, Cricket Australia made it clear that it will cancel the Test if women’s sport is not supported in Afghanistan.

“Our vision for cricket is that it is a sport for all and we support the game unequivocally for women at every level. If recent media reports that women’s cricket will not be supported in Afghanistan are substantiated, Cricket Australia would have no alternative but to not host Afghanistan for the proposed Test Match due to be played in Hobart,” the statement by Cricket Australia read.

Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) chief Hamid Shinwari also asserted that though comments were made on women’s cricket, they have been clarified. He added that the board is committed to building women’s cricket.

“There were comments made about women not playing cricket but they have since been clarified. Our women players are still here – they have not left Afghanistan, most are in Kabul or the other provinces. We want to build girls cricket, we are committed to building facilities, so they can play as long as our cultural requirements are met,” he added.