Official status for Asia-Africa one-dayers

The three one-day matches between an Asia XI and an Africa XI to be held next month will be accorded official status. The Times reported that the ICC granted the sanction to the games, to be held either in India or South Africa on August 17, 19 and 21, in a tournament which will be organised by the newly formed Afro-Asian Cricket Cooperation.

The decision to make the games official will probably bother statisticians worldwide, but recently the ICC has moved away from conventional thinking in this matter - the one-dayers organised recently to aid the victims of the tsunami disaster were accorded official status, as will be the Super Series between Australia and Rest of the World in October.

The Indian board had earlier requested their Sri Lankan counterparts to bring forward the dates of the triangular one-day tournament in Sri Lanka so that the players from both countries could play for Asia. With the Sri Lankan board agreeing to that request - the triangular will be held from July 30 to August 10 - the Asian line-up could include the likes of Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sanath Jayasuriya and Muttiah Muralitharan, along with other big names from Pakistan.

The AACC, currently headed by Jagmohan Dalmiya, the Asian Cricket Council chief, has also decided that a series between Asia and Africa will take place on an annual basis, with the two continents alternating as hosts. The ICC has already agreed to this plan. According to the agreement, 70% of the net profits from the game will go to the host continent, 20% to the visitors, while 10% will be kept aside to help develop the game in both continents.