Afghanistan Wants To Host Pakistan For A Bilateral ODI Series: ACB Chief Azizullah Fazli

The newly appointed Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) chief Azizullah Fazli has revealed that he is planning to visit Pakistan to meet the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja and invite them to send their national team to Afghanistan for a bilateral ODI series.

Pakistan and Afghanistan were scheduled to play an ICC Cricket World Cup Super League series in Sri Lanka in September this year. However, the series got cancelled due to the Covid-19 situation in the island nation.

The Afghan team’s rise as one of the most exciting cricket teams in the last decade or so was one of the most inspiring stories from the war-torn nation. They gave the cricket world players like Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, Mohammad Shahzad, and Asghar Afghan who have entertained the fans all over the world.

However, with the Taliban taking over the country once again after 20 years, insecurity and uneasiness have spread over the Afghanistan cricket team, given that the hardcore Islamists have banned women from playing any sport, including cricket, and are stifling their rights.

I Will Meet PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja And Offer To Host Pakistan For An ODI Series: Afghanistan Cricket Board Chief Azizullah Fazli

The newly appointed Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) chief Azizullah Fazli, who replaced Hamid Shinwari at the top post, has revealed that he plans to travel to Pakistan and meet the new Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja and invite their national team for a bilateral ODI series.

“I will meet new Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ramiz Raja and will offer to host Pakistan for the ODI series which we were due to play in Sri Lanka in September,” Fazli was quoted as saying by AFP.

Not only this, but Fazli also wants to meet the heads of other cricket boards in Asia and convince them to have a better relationship with the new Taliban-ruled Afghanistan Cricket Board.

He said: “I am taking a tour of Pakistan from September 25 and then will go to India, Bangladesh and the United Arab Emirates to meet officials of cricket boards. We are seeking to improve Afghanistan cricket and that will come with cooperation from other countries.”

This turnaround in image salvation came after Cricket Australia has confirmed that the historic one-off Test between Australia and Afghanistan in Hobart later this year might be cancelled if Afghanistan’s Taliban government fails to allow women to play cricket and constitute a women’s cricket team, which is mandatory for any Test-playing nation.

Also Read: PM Imran Khan Urges Pakistan Cricket Team To Play Fearless Cricket In T20 World Cup