Asian Cricket Council official to visit Afghanistan

The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) will send a development officer to Afghanistan next month for an orientation tour. According to a report by Reuters, Iqbal Sikander, the development officer, will visit Kabul to study the infrastructure there.

"The ACC has approved my visit to Kabul next month," Iqbal said. "The basic purpose being to initially inspect the cricket infrastructure, facilities and standards there. I have been asked to inform the ACC what can be done to help out the Afghanistan cricket association."

Afghanistan has been an affiliate member of the ICC, but was included as an associate member of the ACC only last month. Since then, officials from the Afghanistan Cricket Association (ACA) have visited India, seeking help to develop the game in a country which has been ravaged by war for many years.

Despite the war, cricket has deep roots in Afghanistan. Iqbal stated that according to feedback from the ACA, there were regular matches played between the locals from Kabul and the British troops posted there. Earlier ACC reports had indicated that more than 50 cricket clubs existed in the country, but most of them were in need of funds to buy equipment.

Afghanistan played in Pakistan's domestic season two years ago, but did not approach the Pakistan board for an appearance this season. According to Zakir Khan, the PCB cricket operations manager: "They didn't come to us with any request to play in our domestic cricket or we would have been happy to accommodate them."