Ex-PCB chief sad over Afghanistan's Test debut against India

Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Shahryar Khan is unhappy over Afghanistan playing their inaugural Test cricket match against India in India. He said that the decision saddens him and it was also a result of their board taking an ‘unnecessarily aggressive line’ towards PCB. Ireland and Afghanistan joined the other ten Test-playing nations in the international circuit.

The Afghans will become the fourth country to play their maiden Test against India. Khan on the other hand, felt that they should have played the historic game against Pakistan. Earlier, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) had called off all ties with Pakistan following a bomb blast in Kabul. The Intelligence Bureau had confirmed that the attack was carried out by Pakistan-funded militants.

Afghan-Pak relation sour down

“To be honest, I am not aggrieved but a little sad after hearing this news as it should have been Pakistan who played the first Test match with Afghanistan which would have been a historic occasion for both countries. In reality, this should have been the case and we had arranged for that, but their board took a very political and an unnecessarily aggressive line towards Pakistan which is completely uncalled for.”

“The ACB hereby cancel all kinds of cricket matches and initial mutual relationship agreement with the Pakistan Cricket Board,” the ACB had stated on its official Facebook page. “No agreement of friendly matches and mutual relationship agreement is possible with a country where terrorists are housed and provided safe havens.”

Afghanistan were set to play their home and away fixtures against Pakistan but there has been a change in plan. “Whilst we obviously wish the Afghanistan cricket team the best of luck as they embark on a new chapter of their cricket history, it is a rather sad to hear that Afghanistan will not be playing their first ever Test match against Pakistan,” Khan added.