Taliban vow to provide full support to Afghan cricket

Afghanistan cricket team captain Hashmatullah Shahidi meets Taliban leader Anas Haqqani

Atique ur Rehman

August 22, 2021

Afghanistans Rashid Khan (C) celebrates with Afghanistan´s Najibullah Zadran (L) after taking the wicket of Pakistans captain Sarfaraz Ahmed for 13 during the 2019 Cricket World Cup warm-up match on May 24, 2019. Photo: AFP — Afghanistan's Rashid Khan (C) celebrates with Afghanistan´s Najibullah Zadran (L) after taking the wicket of Pakistan's captain Sarfaraz Ahmed for 13 during the 2019 Cricket World Cup warm-up match on May 24, 2019. Photo: AFP

KABUL: Taliban leader Anas Haqqani met Afghan cricket team captain Hashmatullah Shahidi on Saturday, promising the cricketer that the group will provide full support to the sport in the country.

The Taliban delegation met Hashmatullah Shahidi in the presence of Asadullah Khan, the former CEO of the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB).

Sources report that the Taliban envoy met skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi and listened to the problems faced by the Afghan cricket team.

The Taliban vowed to provide full support to the Afghan cricket team.

Earlier on Thursday, it was reported that the Taliban have allowed ACB to carry on its activities as usual.

The ACB had contacted the Taliban who did not give any signal of banning the sport in the country.

It is expected that Afghanistan's cricket series will continue as usual, including their appearance in the ICC T20 World Cup scheduled for October this year.

Fall of Kabul

The Taliban completed their sweep across Afghanistan by taking over Kabul on Sunday, following the culmination of a 20-year invasion with the US’ withdrawal of troops.

The Taliban's first news briefing since their return to Kabul stated that they would impose their laws more softly than during their harsh 1996-2001 rule.