Virat Kohli, Babar Azam, Jasprit Bumrah, Shaheen Afridi to play together? Jay Shah to revive Afro-Asia Cup

Discussions have been around about reviving the Afro-Asia Cup, a prestigious tournament previously held twice in the mid-2000s.

This news comes after Jay Shah's recent appointment as International Cricket Council (ICC) chair and ongoing changes in the board and Chief Executives' Committee.

Combined teams from Asia and Africa played international games during the Afro-Asia Cup. Indian and Pakistan cricketers, such as MS Dhoni, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, Shahid Afridi, and Shoaib Akhtar, played together in this marquee event, which was played in 2005 and 2007.

Asia XI comprised players from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. Players from South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Kenya were picked to form the Africa XI.

A three-match ODI series ended 1-1 in 2005. Asia XI won the lone T20I match and the three-match ODI series to complete a clean sweep.

The Cup was abandoned due to geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan and broadcasting issues.

There were previous plans to revive the tournament in a T20 format in 2023, but they did not materialize. However, Forbes reported that there is a chance the event could be revived.

The tournament was planned to be played in mid-2023 in a T20 format, with players from Associate nations.

However, these plans fell through due to issues within the African Cricket Association (ACA). South Africa and Zimbabwe have stepped in to stabilize the ACA and cricket development.

There Was Not Adequate Momentum - Sumod Damodar On Afro-Asia Cup

As per the latest report in Forbes, former Africa Cricket Association (ACA) chair Sumod Damodar expressed regret over not pushing strongly for the return of the Afro-Asia Cup.

He admitted that the lack of understanding within the ACA hindered the revival of the tournament.

“Personally, I am very hurt that it (Afro-Asia Cup) didn’t happen. There was not adequate momentum through the ACA, but it is being looked at again. I think it was basically a lack of understanding and not buying into the concept. Our members are regretting it. It needed to be pushed by Africa,” Damodar told Forbes.

Damodar is optimistic that the new ICC chairman Jay Shah and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) head of development Mahinda Vallipuram could help revive the Afro-Asia Cup. He stated that they have been proactive in supporting the tournament's return.

“With Mahinda now on the ICC board and Jay Shah running the ICC, that could bring a bit more momentum to this cause. Both of them have always been proactive in trying to make this happen,” Damodar said.

These Match Could Break Down Barriers - Sumod Damodar

Sumod Damodar believes that stars like Virat Kohli and Babar Azam in the Afro-Asia Cup could break down political barriers and foster positive relations. He added that players are generally not antagonistic towards each other and would be eager to participate.

"These matches could break down barriers that are there politically. Cricket can help build the bridges rather than burn it up. I don't personally believe that players are antagonistic against each other, so I'm sure they would be up for it," Damodar commented.

Stars like Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, and Jasprit Bumrah, along with Pakistani players such as Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Afridi, could feature in an Asian XI if the Afro-Asia Cup is successfully revived.

Also read: CPL 2024: Alzarri Joseph Gets into a Fight with the on-field Umpire (Watch Video)