International Cricket Council has adopted a wait and watch approach on Afghanistan as the international cricketing body will chart a plan on the countries’ future next month.
The ICC acting Chief Executive Geoff Allardice has said that the governing International Cricket Council (ICC) has taken up a wait-and-watch approach on Afghanistan but would discuss the country’s fate in a board meeting next month.
Afghanistan risk isolation since the country’s Taliban takeover in August as Australian Board threatening not to host them for a one-off Test in Hobart next month if the new Taliban government in Kabul did not allow women to play the sport.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) said that it was committed to women’s cricket but was awaiting instructions from the government on its future.
At the T20 World Cup conference, Allardice said, “Our primary function is to support the development of cricket in that country through the member board.”
He added, “We have said all along that we are waiting to see how things unfold under the different regimes in that country. The ICC board will consider it when they next meet which is looking like at the end of the T20 World Cup.”
Afghanistan is currently training in Qatar and will begin its Twenty20 World campaign against a qualifier in Sharjah on Oct 25.
In the Taliban last regime when they ruled Afghanistan two decades ago, girls were not allowed to attend school, and women were banned from work and education.
Australia Test captain Tim Paine said that teams might refuse to play Afghanistan at the T20 World Cup, but Allardice said there was no doubt over their participation in the showpiece event.
He said, “They are a full member of the ICC and the team is preparing for the event at the moment and will be playing in Group B.”
“As far as their participation in the event, it’s proceeding as normal.”
The ICC official also confirmed that the 20-overs World Cup will embrace the Decision Review System with each team having a maximum of two reviews per innings.
