Cricket

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has announced a preliminary squad of 20 players for the upcoming one-off Test match against New Zealand, scheduled to take place from September 9-13 in Greater Noida, India. The selected players will depart for India on August 28 for a week-long preparation camp.The final squad will be announced at the end of the camp, with the selection committee considering players' performance and fitness. Afghanistan suffered a six-wicket defeat in their most recent Test match against Ireland in Abu Dhabi earlier this year."20 players have been selected for the training camp and a 15-member squad will be selected to play the only Test match against New Zealand after observing their performance and fitness," said Afghanistan chief selector Ahmad Shah Sulimankhel.ACB chairman Mirwais Ashraf expressed his delight at the inclusion of young players who have performed well in domestic cricket. He emphasized the significance of this event, marking the first time the two nations will engage in a bilateral cricket series."It is worth mentioning that before the 9th edition of Shpageeza Cricket League, these players attended a full package preparation camp in Nangarhar province too that carries similar conditions to India," he added.The Afghanistan preliminary squad includes:* Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain)* Ibrahim Zadran* Riaz Hassan* Abdul Malik* Rahmat Shah* Baheer Shah Mahboob* Ikram Alikhel (wk)* Shahidullah Kamal* Gulbadin Naib* Afsar Zazai (wk)* Azmatullah Omarzai* Ziaurrahman Akbar* Shamsurrahman* Qais Ahmad* Zahir Khan* Nijat Masoud* Farid Ahmad Malik* Naveed Zadran* Khalil Ahmad* Yama Arab

Ihsanullah Janat, a prominent Afghanistan top-order batter, has been suspended from all cricket-related activities for five years due to corruption allegations. The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced the ban on Wednesday, effective immediately.The ACB's investigation revealed that Janat violated Article 2.1.1 of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code during the second edition of the Kabul Premier League earlier this year. The specific breaches involved improper influence and attempts to manipulate the outcome of matches.Janat has acknowledged his guilt and confessed to his involvement in corrupt activities. The ACB's anti-corruption unit is currently investigating three other players for potential involvement in similar offenses.Janat, 26, has represented Afghanistan in 20 international matches across all three formats. He made his debut in an ODI against Zimbabwe in 2017 and has since played 15 ODIs, scoring 307 runs. He has also featured in three Tests, amassing 110 runs, and one T20I, where he scored a quickfire 20.Janat's suspension is a significant blow to Afghanistan's cricket team, which has been plagued by corruption scandals in recent years. The ACB has vowed to take strict action against any players or officials involved in such activities.The ban on Janat serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining integrity in cricket. The ACB and the ICC are committed to eradicating corruption from the sport and ensuring a fair and competitive environment for all players.

Pretoria Capitals, the South African franchise in the SA20 league, have bolstered their squad for the 2025 season by signing Afghanistan's explosive wicketkeeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz. The 22-year-old will reunite with Jonathan Trott, who was recently appointed as Capitals' head coach after guiding Afghanistan to their maiden World Cup semi-final earlier this year.Gurbaz, a T20 globetrotter, brings a wealth of experience to the Capitals. He has played for various franchises around the world, including the Dubai Capitals in the ILT20, where he scored 146 runs in eight innings. He also has IPL experience, having won the title with Kolkata Knight Riders in 2023.Gurbaz's T20I form is equally impressive. He was the leading run-scorer in the 2024 T20 World Cup, amassing 281 runs in eight innings at an average of 35.12 and a strike rate of 124.33. His aggressive batting style and ability to clear the boundary with ease make him a valuable asset to any team.Gurbaz will join a star-studded Capitals squad that includes Wayne Parnell, Will Jacks, Rilee Rossouw, Jimmy Neesham, Anrich Nortje, and Ollie Pope. With such a formidable lineup, the Capitals will be among the favorites to lift the SA20 trophy in 2025.

Jonathan Trott, the former England batsman, has been appointed as the new head coach of the Pretoria Capitals in the SA20, replacing Graham Ford. Trott, who is currently the head coach of Afghanistan, will take over the reins of the Capitals ahead of the 2025 season.Trott's appointment comes after a successful stint with Afghanistan, where he has overseen a significant improvement in the team's results. Under his guidance, Afghanistan has defeated top teams like Australia, England, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, and Bangladesh in global events. They also reached the semi-finals of the 2024 T20I World Cup, losing to South Africa.The Capitals, on the other hand, have had a disappointing second season in the SA20, winning only three matches and finishing fifth. They were losing finalists in the competition's first edition in 2023 after topping the table.Trott's appointment is part of a broader shake-up at the Capitals, which also saw the departure of Ricky Ponting as head coach. Ponting had been with the Delhi franchise for seven years.Trott's decision to join the Capitals raises questions about his future with Afghanistan. His contract with the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) is due to expire in December, and it is unclear whether he will renew it.If Trott does not renew his contract with the ACB, he could be in contention for the England limited-overs job. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is expected to make a decision on the future of incumbent head coach Matthew Mott in the coming days.Trott, who earned 127 caps for England, has previously coached on the pathway, both for the Under-19 and Lions teams. He is highly regarded as a coach and his appointment by the Capitals is a major coup for the franchise.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has announced that the Afghanistan men's cricket team will face New Zealand in a one-off Test match from September 9-13 at the Greater Noida Sports Complex Ground in India. This historic encounter will mark the first time Afghanistan and New Zealand have met in the longest format of the game.Afghanistan has made significant strides in Test cricket since gaining full membership of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 2017. They have won three Test matches to date, against Ireland (2019), Bangladesh (2019), and Zimbabwe (2021).ACB Chairman Mirwais Ashraf expressed his delight at hosting New Zealand for the first time in a Test match. He said, "We are delighted to host a quality New Zealand Test team for the first time in our cricketing history. This is a testament to the hard work we have put in through numerous discussions and meetings with different boards on the sidelines of the various ICC Board Meetings."Ashraf also expressed hope for future bilateral white-ball matches against New Zealand. "The Black Caps are an outstanding all-format team in world cricket, and we hope to reach an agreement with New Zealand Cricket for white-ball bilateral matches in the future," he said.The match will also mark Afghanistan's return to international cricket at the Greater Noida Sports Complex Ground, which has been designated as one of the venues for Afghanistan's home games following an agreement with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).New Zealand will arrive in Greater Noida on September 5 for a three-day conditioning camp ahead of the Test match. They will then face India in a three-Test series starting on October 16 in Bengaluru.Meanwhile, Afghanistan will head to New Delhi in late August for a one-week training and preparation camp. In their two Tests played this year, Afghanistan lost to Sri Lanka and Ireland, with their last win in the longer format coming in 2021 over Zimbabwe in Abu Dhabi.

Afghanistan, the rising stars of international cricket, are set to face the formidable New Zealand in a historic one-off Test match in September. This highly anticipated encounter will mark the first time these two nations have clashed in the longest format of the game.The match will be played at the Greater Noida Sports Complex Ground in India, a venue that has previously served as Afghanistan's adopted home ground. This will be Afghanistan's 10th Test match, and their third in 2024, the most they have played in a single calendar year.The Test is scheduled to take place from September 9 to 13, approximately one month before New Zealand's three-Test tour of India. Prior to the Afghanistan Test, New Zealand will embark on a Test series in Sri Lanka, with dates yet to be announced.This encounter holds significant importance for Afghanistan, as it will provide them with an opportunity to test their mettle against one of the world's top cricketing nations. Afghanistan has a commendable 3-6 win-loss record in their first nine Tests, with their last victory coming against Zimbabwe in March 2021.In their two Tests so far in 2024, Afghanistan has faced defeats against Sri Lanka and Ireland. They also lost their one-off Test in Bangladesh last year. Despite these setbacks, Afghanistan remains a formidable opponent, eager to prove their worth on the international stage.Following the New Zealand Test, England, Australia, Pakistan, and South Africa will be the only countries to have not yet played against Afghanistan in a Test match. Australia had previously withdrawn from hosting Afghanistan in a Test in 2021 due to humanitarian concerns.The Afghanistan-New Zealand Test match promises to be a captivating spectacle, showcasing the skills and determination of both teams. Afghanistan will be looking to make a statement against a world-class opponent, while New Zealand will be aiming to maintain their dominance in the Test arena.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has received a major boost in its bid to host the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025, with Afghanistan pledging its participation in the tournament. This assurance was given by Mirwais Ashraf, the president of the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), and Naseeb Khan, the CEO, during the ICC Annual Board Meeting in Colombo.The PCB has been working tirelessly to secure the hosting rights for the Champions Trophy, which will be the first major ICC event to be held in Pakistan since the 1996 World Cup. However, there were concerns that some countries might follow India's lead if the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decided not to send its team to Pakistan.Khalid Mehmood, a former PCB chairman, had recently stated that if India didn't send its team to Pakistan, one could expect teams like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan to follow suit and insist on shifting the tournament to an alternative location.However, the ACB officials' assurances to PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi have allayed those fears. Afghanistan's participation in the Champions Trophy is a significant development, as it shows that the country is willing to support Pakistan's efforts to host the tournament.The Champions Trophy is scheduled to take place in Pakistan during February and March 2025. It will be the first time that the tournament has been held in Pakistan since 2008.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is facing mounting pressure to address the Afghanistan Cricket Board's (ACB) failure to field a women's team, a key criterion for Full Membership. At the ICC's annual meetings in Colombo this weekend, the prospect of ring-fencing funds for Afghanistan women's cricket is expected to be raised.Several cricket boards, including Cricket Australia (CA) and New Zealand Cricket (NZC), are reportedly keen to discuss the possibility of setting aside a percentage of the ICC's annual revenue distribution to Afghanistan for the development of women's cricket. This move would ensure that funds are specifically allocated and used towards supporting women's cricket in the country.The discussion has gained urgency following a letter from 17 Afghanistan women cricketers to ICC Chair Greg Barclay. The letter requested assistance in establishing a refugee team in Australia, where many of them have fled. The letter acknowledged the achievements of the Afghanistan men's team but highlighted the Taliban's restrictive policies that prevent the ACB from recognizing a women's team.Since the Taliban's return to power in 2021, women's rights in Afghanistan have been severely curtailed, including restrictions on education, work, and sporting activities. The 17 women cricketers have asked the ICC to recognize them as a refugee team under the East Asian Cricket office based at Cricket Australia.However, any such discussion will face complexities. The ICC's revenue distribution model does not specify how much money should be spent on women's cricket, making it challenging to determine an appropriate percentage to set aside. Additionally, the ACB receives approximately USD 17 million annually from the ICC, and it is unclear who would be responsible for directing the funds towards women's cricket.The ICC relies on individual boards to compile and recognize teams, so it cannot officially recognize the 17 women who wrote to the ICC. These questions will need to be addressed if a proposal to ring-fence funds for Afghanistan women's cricket is agreed upon.

Mohammad Nabi, the veteran Afghanistan all-rounder, has set his sights on continuing his international career until the 2026 T20 World Cup. The 39-year-old, who is currently leading the Dambulla Sixers in the Lanka Premier League (LPL), believes his body is still capable of performing at the highest level.Nabi has been a key figure in Afghanistan's rise as a cricketing force since making his debut in 2009. He has played a pivotal role in the team's success in limited-overs cricket, particularly in T20Is.While Nabi plans to continue playing T20Is for the foreseeable future, he is considering retiring from ODIs after the Champions Trophy. He believes that the next T20 World Cup will be a fitting end to his illustrious international career."I am still running fast, fielding well, and bowling well," Nabi said. "I am trying to keep myself fit for as long as possible. The Afghanistan team needs me at this stage, but the Champions Trophy may be my last 50-over tournament."Nabi's longevity in the game is a testament to his dedication and commitment to fitness. He follows a strict diet and training regimen to maintain his peak performance.The all-rounder also credits franchise cricket for helping Afghanistan players improve their skills and gain valuable experience. He believes that the exposure to different leagues has contributed to the team's recent success in the T20 World Cup."Franchise cricket gives us a lot of experience that we can bring to the national team," Nabi said. "Afghanistan's performance in the World Cup was really good. We beat big teams and reached the semi-finals for the first time."Nabi's experience and leadership will be crucial for Afghanistan as they look to build on their recent success. He remains a vital cog in the team's plans and is determined to continue contributing to his country's cricketing journey.