Afghanistan cricket team
Amid the ongoing turmoil in the country, questions have been brewing over the participation of the Afghanistan cricket team in the impending ICC T20 World Cup in the UAE come October. On Monday, a member of the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) confirmed the participation of the team and that the players will be available for preparations for the tournament soon in Kabul.
"Yes, we will play in the T20 World Cup. The preparations are on and the available players will be back to training in Kabul in the next few days. We are looking for a venue for the tri-series involving Australia and West Indies and that will be the best preparation for the showpiece event. We are speaking to some countries like Sri Lanka and also I think Malaysia. Let's see how that pans out.
"We are already set to play Pakistan in Hambantota and that series is also on. Also, we are planning to go ahead with the domestic T20 tournament which shall boost preparations for the players ahead of the T20 World Cup," the Afghanistan cricket team's media manager Hikmat Hassan said.
When asked about Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi, both of whom ae presently not in the country, Hasan said, "We are always there to help our players and their families. We will do whatever is possible for them. Things are not affected much in Kabul, we are already back in the office, so there is nothing to worry about."
Talking about the World T20, Afghanistan have been clubbed with former champions India and Pakistan along with New Zealand in Group 2, and will later be joined by two more teams from the qualifiers.
