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
PM Sharif seeks Ericsson’s global expertise as Pakistan eyes 5G rollout
- The prime minister says Pakistan wants to benefit from Ericsson’s experience in advanced networks
- Government aims to auction 5G spectrum by late January or early February, the IT minister has said
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Monday the government was keen to draw on global expertise as it prepares to move ahead with next-generation digital connectivity, holding talks with Sweden’s Ericsson at a time when Islamabad plans to auction 5G spectrum in the coming weeks.
Last month, Pakistan’s information technology minister said the government was aiming to hold its long-delayed 5G spectrum auction by late January or early February to pave the way for the country’s first rollout of 5G services.
The prime minister discussed the role of next-generation digital connectivity in supporting economic growth, productivity and public service delivery during talks with an Ericsson delegation led by Patrick Johansson, the company’s president for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the prime minister’s office said.
“Pakistan is interested in benefiting from Ericsson’s global experience in advanced networks, including 5G, and remains committed to developing secure and sustainable information technology infrastructure in line with national needs,” Sharif said, according to the statement.
The government has said expanding digital connectivity is central to its broader economic agenda, which includes improving financial inclusion, promoting cashless payments and strengthening disaster preparedness through technology.
The statement said Ericsson’s delegation welcomed Pakistan’s efforts to improve its telecom infrastructure, including plans for the 5G spectrum auction.
The meeting was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, IT minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja and senior government officials.
