New Delhi: Cricket will not be a victim after drastic political changes in Afghanistan, convincing the CEO of the Cricket Council of Hamid Shinwari, saying “love” and “support” Taliban.
Speaking to PTI from Kabul, Shinwari also assured that members of the national team and their families were safe when the Taliban took control of the country.
Star players include Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi and Zadran Mujeeb playing in England in the ‘One Hundred’ tournament.
“Taliban likes cricket.
They have supported us from the beginning.
They did not interfere in our activities,” Shinwari said.
“I don’t see interference and expect support so that our cricket can move forward.
We have received an active chairman, I remain the CEO until further notice,” added the upper Afghan cricket board official.
The increase in cricket in the country coincided with the Taliban government between 1996 and 2001 with many Afghan refugees in neighboring Pakistan taking sports.
“It can be said that cricket is growing rapidly during the Taliban era.
It was also the fact that many of our players were practiced in Peshawar and they made the mainstream sports in Afghanistan.” The good thing is that we are heading to normal.
People have started working.
We will continue our office starting tomorrow and ongoing national camps ahead of the Pakistani series in Sri Lanka will also continue after a two-day break with the regime’s change, “Shinwari said.
Speaking of the safety of the players, he said:” Besides four or five players playing overseas the rest is in Kabul.
As I said, they are safe and fine.
“BCCI also oversees developments and hopes to see the participation of Afghan players in the Indian Premier League.” It’s still too early to comment but we keep a watch.
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For us, nothing has changed and we expect Rashid and other Afghan players will be part of the IPL, “said the BCCI source to PTI.
Afghanistan is scheduled to play the ODI series three matches against Pakistan in Colombo of 1.
Shinwari said all the scheduled bilateral series Stay on track and the three players bound IPL – Rashid, Prophet and Mujeeb – have got the NOCS from the board to participate in the money-rich event in front of the T20 World Cup.
“We did not see the cricket of activity suffering from regime changes,” Shinwari said.
Former Batsman England Kevin Pietersen, who was involved with the ‘one hundred’ event in England, said Rashid was naturally worried about the situation at home.
” We had a long chat here the limit talked about it and he was worried.
He could not spend his family from Afghanistan and there were many things that happened for him.
“Pietrsen said to Sky Sports.” For him to appear and wear a show like this under pressure …
for him to be able to forget it and navigate his story and continue the momentum he has – I think it might be one of the most warm stories of one hundred so far.
“Asadullah Khan, who resigned as a voter of the previous Afghan head this month, also thought that cricket would not be a victim under the Taliban government.” I personally have gone to areas where the Taliban ruled.
They really like the game.
So, from the point of view it should not be a problem.
“Too many political interventions in cricket have affected sports negatively over the past 24 months and those who need to change,” Khan said, referring to administrative changes that often occur in the National Team Board and Leadership.
Shinwari added that he hoped that the power of large cricket included BCCI playing with them more often, giving a big boost to their finances and the health of the game in the country.
“We want to build ordinary bilateral cricket bonds with all cricket giants including BCCI which is always there for us,” he added.