ACB official urges political matters to be left to diplomatic officials

The Afghanistan Cricket Board has said that political matters should be settled on diplomatic channels, not on cricket grounds and such issues must be kept separate from sports.

ACB chief executive Naseeb Khan told Cricbuzz on Saturday (January 8) that they welcome the move taken by England Cricket Board to play their Champions Trophy match against Afghanistan later this month despite calls to boycott the game, in response to the Taliban government's crackdown on women's rights.

Last month a group of British lawmakers urged England to boycott the Champions Trophy group stage match against Afghanistan which will be held in Lahore on February 26 while South Africa Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie also supported calls for a boycott.

However, ECB chairman Richard Thompson said they would play the match after discussions with the government along with the International Cricket Council (ICC), and the players while added that the cricketing community alone cannot tackle Afghanistan's problems.

"We welcome the statement from the England Cricket Board. Our goal has always been to compete against full-member nations not only in ICC and major tournaments but also in bilateral events as well. We have operated under challenging circumstances, yet our progress would not have been possible without the unwavering support of member countries, the ICC, and the ACC," Naseeb told Cricbuzz.

"As a sporting entity, the Afghanistan Cricket Board is mandated to identify and develop talent while managing and promoting the game of cricket. This is a responsibility we have diligently upheld over the past 3.5 years. Afghan cricket has achieved unprecedented success, uniting and inspiring our nation despite immense challenges. We remain committed to expanding the game, nurturing talent, and strengthening the institution, as reflected in our national team's remarkable performance," he said.

"We firmly believe that political matters should be resolved through diplomatic channels or on table not in cricket ground and must be kept separate from sports. As a cricket board, our jurisdiction is limited to the game itself, just as it is for other cricket boards worldwide. The Afghan nation has the right to cherish and celebrate cricket as a source of joy and unity after years of hardship," he added.

Naseeb added that they are firmly focused on Champions Trophy at the moment as they are well aware that it will help them grow as a cricketing nation.

"Afghan cricket has grown despite war and challenges, bringing hope and unity to our nation. It has always been a source of pride for our people. Despite the challenges, we have focused on developing cricket and ensuring our team performs at its best. Our success in 2023 and 2024, including qualifying for the Champions Trophy by defeating top teams, reflects our progress," he said.

"As we prepare for the Champions Trophy, our sole objective is to play good cricket and continue demonstrating our growth on the international stage," he said.

"We have had a great year in Cricket for Afghanistan. In 2024, we had a very exciting T20 World Cup tournament and then we won four consecutive (ODI) series against Ireland, South Africa, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, Additionally, an Afghan player Azmatullah Omarzai was able to win the ICC ODI Player of the Year award, while four of our players were among the ICC Team of the Year. Also, we have won the Emerging Asia Cup and have been crowned the new Asian Champions. Thus, 2024 shall be remembered as the golden year of Afghan cricket," he said.

"We are now preparing for the Champions Trophy; the team is in high morale, and the entire nation is excited to see their heroes play against best sides of the world cricket. We have our preparation camp going on in the UAE and the team will travel to Pakistan in the coming couple of days (February 12)," he said.

"We look forward to yet another exciting tournament, just like the 2023 and 2024 World Cups," he added.

Naseeb said that they are hoping that Younis Khan can bring success as a mentor during the Champions Trophy as he feels his knowledge will be invaluable for the team while his association with the team earlier in coaching capacity will help the Pakistani perform better in the Afghanistan dressing room.

Recently, ACB appointed Younisas the mentor of Afghanistan national cricket team for the upcoming Champions Trophy.

"ACB is of the considered opinion that Afghanistan cricket team must be among the top 6 cricket teams of the world in the coming 5 years. Thus, our team should prepare accordingly, ensure inspiring performance and good results in all their games, especially in big tournaments such as the Champions Trophy," said Naseeb.

"Therefore, we need the right team selections and proper preparations for all events and have planned to have mentors in addition to the regular team management that also comprises of world class talents. Thus we had Ajay Jadeja and Dwayne Bravo as mentors for ODI World Cup 2023 and T20 World Cup, respectively. Their appointment as mentors had positive results and the team performed exceptionally well," he said.

"The decision to include Younis Khan as our mentor for Champions Trophy is part of the same strategy. He has been our short term coach previously, is a hardworking and skilled cricketer, knows our players well and understands Pakistan's conditions, a combination that we target in our mentors. We are confident that his experience will help us perform at our best during the very important event," he added.