'Taliban love cricket': No change in Pak-Afghan ODI series, says ACB CEO

 

• The three-match ODI series against Pakistan would be played as per schedule, says Afghanistan Cricket Board.
• Taliban love cricket and they are supporting their team. Our ODI series against Pakistan will go as per schedule, says ACB CEO.
• Afghanistan will host Pakistan for three ODIs in the first week of September in Hambantota, Sri Lanka.   

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LAHORE: The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has said that the three-match ODI series against Pakistan would be played as per schedule, The News reported.

In a statement, the Afghanistan’s cricket board said that the ODI series against Pakistan would not be affected by the change of government in the country.

“Taliban love cricket and they are supporting their team. Our ODI series against Pakistan will go as per schedule in Sri Lanka. After two days’ gap due to the current situation in the country, the training camp of the national team will resume tomorrow,” ACB CEO Hamid Shinwari said.

Afghanistan will host Pakistan for three ODIs in the first week of September in Hambantota, Sri Lanka.

Earlier, officials of the Sri Lankan cricket board were unable to guarantee whether the T20 match series between Afghanistan and Pakistan will start on September 1 after the Taliban came into power.

Sri Lanka's cricket board had announced on Monday that it will go ahead with arrangements to host a T20 series between Afghanistan and Pakistan, according to AFP.

Afghanistan's cricket team was also scheduled to play in the T20 World Cup to be held in the United Arab Emirates in October which is also in doubt.

Most national players are in Afghanistan

"Efforts are being made to check their [Afghan cricket players] whereabouts," said an international cricket official, speaking on the 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 set to take place in Dubai but was shifted to Sri Lanka because it clashed with the Indian Premier League which also starts in September in the UAE.

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