PCB invites Afghan team to play in Pakistan

By Rizwan Ehsan Ali

ISLAMABAD, SEPT. 28. In a surprise move, the Pakistan Cricket Board on Thursday drafted Afghanistan into the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy Grade II championship which begins on October 15.

Brig. Munawwar Ahmed Rana, Director Operations, PCB, confirmed that the Afghanistan cricket team had been included in the Quaid Trophy draws on the request of the Afghan cricket association.

``They requested us to allow them to compete in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy Grade II championship (a non-first class event) when they visited Pakistan for a friendly one-day series in May this year,'' Brig. Rana said.

``Afghanistan has already sent its confirmation on competing in the event and that is why we have included their team,'' he said.

But Brig. Rana was not sure whether, under the present circumstances, it will be possible for the Afghan cricket team to travel to Pakistan. The Afghan team is bracketed with Nowshera, Northern Areas, Swat, Haripur and Mardan in Pool B and will play its first match at the Gymkhana Ground in Peshawar from October 15.

Pakistan is the only country which recognises the Taliban government after Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates severed ties following the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington on September 11.

Pakistan has always supported the Afghan cricket team and the cricket board invited the Allahdad Nooris team on a goodwill tour in May this year for a four-match one-day series against Peshawar and Rawalpindi.

It was due to Pakistan's efforts that the International Cricket Council (ICC) awarded Afghanistan associate membership at its last meeting in July.

However, ICC has reportedly said it would review the status of the Afghanistan team at its meeting in Kuala Lumpur, which also begins the day the Afghans play their first match, against Nowshera.

NZC sends fresh dates

The New Zealand cricket team may reschedule its tour of Pakistan in April-May next year after the terrorist attacks in the United States forced the Black Caps to postpone the three-Test tour earlier this month.

According to a fresh proposal, New Zealand is willing to come to Pakistan for a three-Test, three one-day International series from April 1 to May 5, 2002.

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has also informed its Pakistani counterpart that other alternative dates could be in May-June. However, the PCB officials want the Kiwis to tour in April-May since it would be difficult to play in the scorching heat of June when the mercury rises above 40 degrees Centigrade.

Pakistan is also scheduled to host the West Indies for a three- Test series in February-March and the PCB is also planning to organise a tri-nation series involving Pakistan, New Zealand and the West Indies.

Best-of-three ATC final planned

The PCB is also planning to convince Sri Lanka to play a best-of- three final of the Asian Test Championship (ATC) after it had to bear huge financial losses due to the postponed tour by New Zealand.

Sri Lanka and Pakistan qualified for the final after beating minnows Bangladesh in their league matches. According to PCB sources, the proposal is for both countries to host one match each, and, if needed, the final match may be played in Dhaka.

Its the best option at present, since Pakistan has already suffered heavy financial losses this year. Earlier this year, the Indian government did not allow its team to compete in a three- Test series in Pakistan which reportedly caused PCB a loss of $15 million.

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