SITUATION IN KABUL

* “The Taliban has claimed victory in Afghanistan after taking over the capital Kabul, bringing to a swift end almost 20 years of a US-led coalition’s presence in the country.” - BBC at 9 a.m. SL Time on Monday (16)

* “As the Afghan president fled the country and the government crumbled, the U.S. military raced to evacuate diplomats and civilians from an increasingly panicked city.” - New York Times at 4.51 p.m. SL Time on Monday

* “… President Ashraf Ghani fled the country. Victorious Taliban fighters patrolled the streets of Kabul on Monday (16) as thousands of Afghans mobbed the city’s airport trying to flee the group’s feared hard-line brand of rule.” - Al Jazeera at 4.53 p.m. SL Time Monday

By Revatha S. Silva

[caption id="attachment_155904" align="alignnone" width="356"] Gulbadin Naib in action after taking a Sri Lanka wicket in September 2018 in an Asia Cup knock-out match which Afghanistan won in Abu Dhabi[/caption]

Afghanistan has always had rough patches in their history. The Taliban takeover of that nation, as was reported in the world media on Monday (16), is the latest in that gory sequence of unrest in the country.

The Taliban seizure of Kabul yesterday was interpreted as a massive setback to the sporting ambitions of the nation, particularly its star-studded cricket team which is now left to stare at an unclear future.

Yet the Times of India quoted the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) CEO Hamid Shinwari as saying that “cricket will not be a casualty” in the wake of the drastic political change in Afghanistan adding Taliban “love” and “support” the game.

“Taliban loves cricket. They have supported us since the beginning. They did not interfere in our activities,” Shinvari had said.

Some other reports emerging from India, quoting officials of the ACB headquartered at the Alokozay Kabul International Cricket Ground in Kabul, said they are ready play the forthcoming cricket series, which will be unperturbed by the bizarre political developments there.

Afghans’ first international commitment is coming up in Sri Lanka, where they are scheduled to play three ODIs on 1, 3, and 5 September at Hambantota.

“We’re already set to play Pakistan in Hambantota and that series is on.” An ACB official had been quoted as saying on Monday from Kabul by India TV.

A senior ex-co official of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) told the Morning Sports: “We haven’t still heard officially anything from them about the latest developments. At this moment of time, we’re not sure (of going ahead with the series in Hambantota”.

Meanwhile the Afghans are also to play in the International Cricket Council (ICC) T20 World Cup, to be held in UAE and Oman in October and November. Some leading Afghan players like Rashid Khan are now part of various T20 leagues like the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021, the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2021, and the Big Bash League (BBL).

“Political uncertainty was looming around the future of their top cricketers, especially Rashid Khan and Mohammed Nabi, who are due to compete in the remainder of the IPL in the UAE from 19 September,” one report said.

Khan and Nabi are not in Afghanistan at the moment. They are in United Kingdom, competing in The Hundred tournament. Khan is playing for Trent Rockets and Nabi is representing London Spirits.

Meanwhile the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is keeping an eye on the developments and is hoping to see participation of Afghan players in the IPL 2021’s remainder in UAE.

“It is too early to comment but we are keeping a watch. For us, nothing changes and we expect Rashid and other Afghan players would be part of IPL,” a BCCI source told PTI.

It remains to be seen if Rashid and Nabi stay back in the UK after completion of ‘The Hundred’ on 21 August 21 as they have families back home.

And if they stay back in UK, it will be interesting to see if the BCCI asks them to be on the same charter flight that will take the Indian players to the UAE from Manchester on 15 September.

Both Rashid and Nabi play for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL. The BCCI is expected to speak with the ACB on situation.

As per International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Future Tours Programme (FTP), Afghanistan are scheduled to tour Sri Lanka for six white-ball games against the Lankans this month but the final schedule is still not out yet.

“It is unlikely to happen,” the SLC official told the Morning Sports.