Former Afghanistan skipper Asghar Afghan slams Australia’s test match captain Tim Paine on his comments on boycotting the Afghanistan Cricket team in the upcoming T20 World Cup. The upcoming ICC event is around the corner which is scheduled to start from 17 October at UAE and Oman.
Recently in an interview with Tim Paine on Sen Hobart, the Aussies test skipper said that the teams might conduct a discussion on the eve of the WC to boycott matches against Afghanistan in the upcoming ICC event.
Currently Afghanistan is under the control of the Taliban government who restricts women to play any sports. According to sharia law, women were not allowed to play cricket or any other sports. Paine claims that teams who restrict the women to play any sport must be banned by the ICC in major events.
“I don’t think we want to be associated with countries that are taking opportunities or things off literally half their population. We’ve heard nothing from the ICC, which is fascinating given there is a T20 World Cup in just over a month’s time. I’d imagine it’s [Afghanistan taking part] impossible if teams are pulling out of playing against them and governments are not letting them travel to our shores. How a team like that can be allowed to play in an ICC-sanctioned event is going to be very, very hard to see,” Paine told on SEN radio.
Former Afghanistan skipper Asghar Afghan comes up with a fitting reply after Tim Paine questioned on Afghanistan’s selection in the T20 World Cup. Asghar Afghan directs the post to Tim Paine and said that Afghanistan cricket has seen many ups and downs and have worked a lot to make a name for themselves in the world cricket. Afghanistan has produced a lot of great spin bowlers like-Rashid Khan, Mujibur Rahman etc.
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Asghar urgers all the participating nations to support Afghanistan and its national team during these hard times. Asghar Afghan also suggested Tim Paine from giving out any such statements in the future. He also added that Paine said it without knowing the actual circumstances.
Here’s what Asghar Afghan wrote on Facebook.
“Mr. Paine!
The Afghan National Cricket Team has the right to play not only in this World Cup but in all ICC organized tournaments/events in accordance with the rules and regulations of ICC, and I’m sure that our brave National Heroes will perform their best in it and showcase their elite Talents Inshallah
As a Sportsperson and Professional Cricketer, you know that it require too much of hard work and dedication to reach this level of Cricket. For a less privileged Cricketing Nation as Afghanistan with zero infrastructure and support reaching where we are right now and playing shoulder to shoulder with top 10 countries require sheer determination, passion and talent.
Therefore, you should refrain from delivering aggressive statements which would result in isolating the Afghan Cricket.
Cricket is now the No#1 Sport in Afghanistan and is being followed by nearly 30 million Afghans.
This shows, either you are unaware of the circumstances or talking out of contradiction; in any case you are mistreating Afghan Cricket and all the gains we have obtained with hardship in the past decade.
(Sports should be separated from politics).”
Afghanistan are in Group 2 along with India, Pakistan and New Zealand of Super 12s. Afghanistan will be joined by 2 more teams from the qualifier stage. Afghanistan has made an entry into the Super 12 through direct qualification. Afghanistan will lock horns with the winner of Group B team in Round 1 on 25th October at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket stadium.
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