Afghan cricket's fight for survival

While foreign peacekeeping forces roam Afghanistan and new government institutions are being installed, sport, and especially cricket, is taking a back-seat.

Colonel Tim Betin of the ISAF inaugurating Olympia Lube Oil Cricket Tournament Photo © ACF

Not so for the fledgling Afghanistan Cricket Federation (ACF) who are busy fighting a lonely battle to develop cricket in their war-torn country. They believe cricket can play an important role in helping rebuild their nation's social fabric and want to bring people together in friendly competition. They say cricket provides a healthy outlet for youthful energy as it encourages team spirit and turns attention away from guns and fighting towards the field of play.

It's a long tough road ahead but their spirits are high and some good work has already been done. But without aid in the form of donations, know-how and sponsorships they face an almost impossible task.

A start has been made, however, as a little help came their way when in April the cricket-friendly British Embassy staff arranged for a donation of some cricket equipment and, earlier, members of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) took time out to play cricket with the ACF team.

Only the love of cricket could bring people together from cultures a continent apart to play together in the unlikeliest of locations, Kabul and its environs.

The ACF is trying to re-establish a cricket structure in a country that has far more immediate problems but they still managed to tour neighbouring Pakistan during the 2002-03 season to play for the Cornelius Trophy, a Grade-II domestic tournament there and they plan to send a youth team for July's Youth Asia Cup 2003.

Although the Afghanis failed to make much of an impression on other pool members in the Pakistan tournament - not qualifying for the next round - they did gain invaluable competitive experience.

A bright moment came their way when playing out a draw against Rajanpur when allrounder Mohammad Nabi scored an unbeaten 103. Was this the first international century by an Afghani? We will have to wait till cricket statisticians come up with an answer after Afghanistan plays some more cricket.

Against Rahimyar Khan they went down by 189 runs while Okara blasted them by an innings and 113 runs. In their last pool match, Gujrat showed no mercy with a 10-wicket win and ensured the visitors finished with no points from their four games.

Some solace nevertheless was Nabi's performance who topped their averages in batting (226 runs at an average of 37.66) and in bowling (six wickets at an average of 24.83 with a best of 4-66).

During 2001-02, the Afghanistan team had also competed in Pakistan¹s domestic Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Grade-II but remained empty-handed. The star then was skipper and president of the ACF, Allah Dad Noori who hauled in 18 wickets in five games with a best of 9-89 in one match.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been providing the Afghan team with some financial support apart from allowing them to play in local tournaments and during the 2002-03 tour helped with a qualified coach, former allrounder Naeem Ahmed.

After the tour Naeem said, "The Afghan players had all the needed talent and desire but lacked professional coaching and exposure to competitive cricket which can only come if a cricket infrastructure is developed back home and they play more cricket."

Speaking to Wisden CricInfo, Abdul Khalil, general manager of the ACF explained: "Cricket was one of the few organised sports allowed under the previous [Taliban] government, so it was, and is, a very important game for us and for the development of youth in Afghanistan."

"The ACF was founded in 1995 and before the war [post-September 11] we had 29 registered clubs and over 900 regular players nationally. We also had begun a schoolyard league that helped introduce cricket to our schoolchildren."

He went on to express happiness that no known players were lost during the fighting in his country.

"However, our main ground became an army command centre used by various troops, and most of our equipment, facilities and the league infrastructure were destroyed."

"We are trying to rebuild sponsorship and funds are urgently needed for cricket academies. Cricket should be an important social contributor to reconstruction in Afghanistan."

"We would like to sincerely thank those who have helped us already and hope that we can be assisted to rebuild cricket academies in three key provinces Khost, Jalalabad and Kabul, and for an opportunity to show that Afghanistan is also a country of sportsmen."

It was the 'inventors' of cricket who came up with some timely support for the ACF on April 16, 2003 when the British Ambassador to Afghanistan presented a quantity of cricket equipment to be given to and distributed to the cricketers of Afghanistan by the ACF.

The equipment included bats, balls, protective equipment, whites and two artificial pitches. All through the efforts of one cricket enthusiast at the embassy, Andrew Banks, who managed to convince various individuals, sports companies and several English counties to donate.

At a ceremony at his residence Ambassador Ron Nash LVO also presented Afghan players with off-field uniforms and an ACF tie.

Cricket was first taken up by Afghani refugee youth who had fled to Pakistan after the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the early 1980's and carried on playing till they could return home 10 years later - more than sufficient time to inculcate cricket culture.

Among them was nine-wickets-in-a-match man and ACF President, Allah Dad Noori, who learnt cricket as a young man playing in Peshawar who then went home to help found the ACF in 1995.

These young men convinced the ruling Taliban militia to allow cricket to be played and one may recall this strict regime had banned most sports as being repugnant after taking over from the Soviets. They brought most of Afghanistan under their ultra-orthodox interpretation of Islamic Shariah law, banning women from outside jobs and education and ordering men to grow untrimmed beards.

In 1998, Afghani boxers were banned from participating in an international boxing tournament in neighbouring Pakistan because they refused to trim their beards. The organisers felt the beards to be an unfair advantage as they would soften knock-out punches.

"We all pray that Afghans adopt not only the technical aspects of the game but the charisma that surrounds the cricketing field," said Pakistan's legendary batsman Hanif Mohammad after he was told that cricket had been taken up in Afghanistan.

ACF captain receives trophy from ISAF commander while ACF president Allah Dad Noori looks on Photo © ACF

"But it is good news as more children are involved in cricket, the further they will be from the fighting. The atmosphere will change as mothers and fathers come to watch their children play," he added.

In January 2000, the ruling Taliban militia approached the PCB to help ACF join the International Cricket Council (ICC).

"They have written to us and want us to help recommend them for associate membership of the ICC," said Yawar Saeed, who was a member of PCB's advisory council.

After a visit to review local cricket and facilities by Nasim-ul-Ghani, ICC's regional development manager for Asia, the ACF received recognition as an Affiliate Member in 2001.

After this struggle, and with stability now returning to Afghanistan, the ACF has made an appeal to cricket-playing countries, their boards, sports equipment manufacturers and sponsors to help donate to develop cricket further.

They need to setup coaching academies, provide equipment to players, and develop grounds.

A laudable plan that surely matches the spirit of cricket for soon we may all enjoy one more team in the arena battling it out with bat and ball.