The Afghanistan Premier League was inevitable: Laxman Sivaramakrishnan

The inaugural edition of the Afghanistan Premier League (APL) is scheduled to get underway on Friday, October 5. A number of renowned names from the cricketing world are all set to grace their presence in the T20 extravaganza. There are five participating teams who will be attempting to win the championship to be played for two and a half weeks.

The opening match of the event is scheduled to be played between Kabul Zwanan and Paktia Panthers in Sharjah. A total of 23 matches will be played with the final to take place on Sunday, October 21 in Sharjah itself. In the meantime, former Indian cricketer Laxman Sivaramakrishnan reckons Afghanistan’s performance at the highest level has attributed to the APL.

A tribute to the giant strides Afghan cricket

“Afghanistan’s growing stature as a cricketing entity, and their increasing popularity with the fans who have been captivated by their fearless, free-flowing game, have been encouraging developments. Given the national team’s successes on the global stage, the Afghanistan Premier League was inevitable,” Sivaramakrishnan wrote in his column for The Times of India (TOI).

“The inaugural edition, to be staged in Sharjah from October 5 to 21, will bring together some of the most celebrated names in the T20 game, a tribute to not just the pulling power of the format but also to the giant strides Afghan cricket has made in a short span of time,” the cricketer turned commentator added.

Afghanistan, captained by Asghar Afghan, did exceptionally well in the recently concluded Asia Cup in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). They thumped Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in the Group phase to top the points table. In the Super 4 stage, they gave Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan a run for their money.

However, they lost to the Tigers and Pakistan in Abu Dhabi. Nevertheless, Afghan’s men stunned the Men in Blue at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, by churning out a tie in a last-over thriller.

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