Afghan cricketers first to tour Pakistan in two years

[Devil Soul]

Afghan cricketers first to tour Pakistan in two year
Afghanistan's cricket team will play the first of three one-day matches against Pakistan on Wednesday.

The Afghan team is the first foreign squad to tour Pakistan since militants attacked the Sri Lankan team in March 2009, killing seven Pakistanis.

The Afghan side will play Pakistan's "A" team led by paceman Sohail Tanvir.

Meanwhile Sri Lanka has turned down an offer to tour Pakistan for security reasons. A spokesman hoped Colombo or a neutral venue could host matches.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had been hopeful of persuading the Sri Lankans to tour the country, which has seen a recent spate of attacks by militants.

Rapid progress
Afghanistan will take part in three matches to be played in Islamabad on 25 May, Rawalpindi on 27 May and Faisalabad on 29 May.

"It is a big opportunity for the Afghanistan cricket team and I am sure the boys will take this to learn more and more," coach Rashid Latif told the AFP news agency.
"This is an official tour and every tour has its significance," said Latif, a former captain of Pakistan who took over as Afghanistan coach last year.

"The tour is approved by the Afghan government and I am sure this will be a small step towards reviving international cricket in Pakistan."

Cricket was made popular in Afghanistan by refugees who had fled to Pakistan when Soviet troops invaded their country in 1979.

Afghanistan have progressed quickly at international level, finishing fifth in the World Cup 2011 qualifiers in 2009 and earning one-day status the same year.

They also won the World Twenty20 qualifiers that allowed them to play with top teams in the World Twenty20 in the West Indies last year.

Last week the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) decided not to host one of the matches in Abbottabad, the town where Osama Bin Laden was killed earlier this month.

A PCB source told the Reuters news agency that the decision had been taken for security reasons on the advice of the interior minister.
BBC News - Afghan cricketers first to tour Pakistan in two years

 

[Roby]

Good news...

 

[Watani]

What's up with the scores??

 

[Urbanized Greyhound]

Afghanistan is a rapidly progressing and enormously talented country in cricket ....the ICC or the Asian cricket association should do more to encourage them to play ODI's and T20s against test playing nations ---Just as they provide opportunities for Ireland .

 

[Watani]

^ The difference here is that Ireland or any other nation, even if they are weaker than Afghan team, are safe enough for international players to visit. Only stadium properly secured is Nangarhar stadium and even that doesn't guarantee 100% security, not even for the Afghan player.

 

[@nline]

Afghanistan is a rapidly progressing and enormously talented country in cricket ....the ICC or the Asian cricket association should do more to encourage them to play ODI's and T20s against test playing nations ---Just as they provide opportunities for Ireland .

ICC only following BCCI steps.
Because ICC as usual follow what India says.

 

[Urbanized Greyhound]

ICC only following BCCI steps.
Because ICC as usual follow what India says.

Not at all ...they concentrated on Ireland because of ECB and ACB's affinity with the Irish board , in Fact they repeatedly give opportunities to countries like Scotland and Netherlands -- Where the love of the sport is not so much because of their being perceived of the same ( western) Bloc ..

Only the BCCI standing in their way to ensure equal opportunities for Asian countries with a love for the game .

 

[DelhiDareDevil]

Well Im glad no one accused RAW or India of setting up a Afghan-Pakistan cricket here.

Maybe until something bad happen, then we start seeing people blaming RAW for setting this cricket match up lol

 

[@nline]

Not at all ...they concentrated on Ireland because of ECB and ACB's affinity with the Irish board , in Fact they repeatedly give opportunities to countries like Scotland and Netherlands -- Where the love of the sport is not so much because of their being perceived of the same ( western) Bloc ..

Only the BCCI standing in their way to ensure equal opportunities for Asian countries with a love for the game .

By the way, GOOD JOKE!

 

[Paan Singh]

BOL to afghans..

 

[Urbanized Greyhound]

By the way, GOOD JOKE!

Not joking Just wait and see .....India will be the first country to tour Pakistan again when the ground situation stabilizes ....long before Aus or Eng or SAfrica does . We 've done it before too - remember Karachi test .