COLOMBO: As officials scramble to find out whether Afghanistan’s cricketers are safe, Sri Lanka’s national board said Monday it is going ahead with arrangements to host a T20 series between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
No official was able to guarantee however that the three Twenty20 matches would start on September 1 after the Taliban swept to power.
The team are also scheduled to play in the T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates in October which could also now be in doubt.
The Taliban government that ruled Afghanistan from 1996 until 2001 frowned upon organized sport.
Star spin bowler and T20 captain Rashid Khan and all rounder Mohammad Nabi are currently playing The Hundred tournament in England. Both made pleas for peace in their country before the Taliban takeover.
But most other national players are in Afghanistan.
“Efforts are being made to check their whereabouts,” said an international cricket official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Sri Lanka’s cricket board said it was still hoping to host Afghanistan and Pakistan for the three matches in an empty stadium at Hambantota.
The series was originally to be held in Dubai but was shifted to Sri Lanka because it clashed with the Indian Premier League which also starts in September in the UAE.
“We have told them that we are ready to host the tournament,” Sri Lanka Cricket secretary Mohan de Silva told AFP. “All the preparations are underway.”
“But, given the current situation in Kabul, we don’t know if they will be able to go ahead. We are awaiting a response from them.”
De Silva said that because of coronavirus precautions, the two teams should be in Sri Lanka by next week to begin the matches in September.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board website said its national squad met top officials on August 7 and were told that they would be “rewarded handsomely” for a good performance against Pakistan.
In its latest post dated August 9, the board said it had appointed former Australian fast bowler Shaun Tait as the national team bowling coach.
Doubts over Afghan-Pakistan cricket series after Taliban takeover
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Doubts over Afghan-Pakistan cricket series after Taliban takeover
- Sri Lanka’s national board says going ahead with arrangements to host T20 series between Afghanistan and Pakistan
- No official able to guarantee that the three Twenty20 matches would start on September 1 after the Taliban swept to power
Pakistan launches first Hong Kong Convention-certified ship recycling yard
- Hong Kong International Convention aims to improve hazardous working conditions in ship recycling facilities worldwide
- Maritime affairs minister says certification reflects Islamabad’s efforts in implementing global environmental standards
ISLAMABAD: Maritime Affairs Minister Junaid Anwar Chaudhry inaugurated Pakistan’s first ship recycling facility certified by the Hong Kong International Convention on Wednesday, saying the move would help Islamabad meet global benchmarks in environmentally friendly ship recycling.
Pakistan became a party to the 2009 Hong Kong Convention in December 2023, which aims to improve hazardous working conditions in ship recycling facilities worldwide. The ship recycling industry in Pakistan and globally faces pressure from calls to adopt safer and cleaner methods.
Shipbreaking is a significant industry in Pakistan, particularly in the coastal town of Gadani in southwestern Balochistan, which was once one of the world’s largest ship recycling hubs. However, business has declined in recent years as Islamabad grapples with a macroeconomic crisis.
Chaudhry inaugurated the Prime Green Recycling Yard in Gadani during a ceremony. He highlighted that the certification demonstrated Pakistan’s alignment with international maritime and environmental standards in a sector long criticized for hazardous working conditions.
“The success of the Prime Green Recycling Yard is a matter of national pride and a clear signal that Pakistan is meeting global benchmarks for environmentally friendly ship recycling,” the Maritime Affairs Ministry quoted him as saying.
“Pakistan is emerging as a responsible country in the global ship recycling industry.”
The statement highlighted that the government was working to modernize the Gadani Ship Recycling Zone, focusing on infrastructure upgrades, regulatory reforms, and improved oversight.
It added that worker safety would remain a top priority as the industry transitions to cleaner and safer methods.
Chaudhry said modernizing the ship recycling sector could create thousands of jobs and conserve foreign exchange by providing locally sourced steel and materials.
“With a responsible and sustainable approach, ship recycling can become a major contributor to economic growth,” he said.
“It will reduce dependence on imports and strengthen Pakistan’s industrial base.”
Pakistan’s maritime sector, anchored by its long coastline and strategic ports such as Karachi, Port Qasim, and Gwadar, holds vast potential for the blue economy. However, it remains underutilized due to infrastructure gaps, policy inconsistencies, and limited shipping capacity.
