Armed Taliban Fighters Barge into Afghanistan Cricket Board Headquarters in Kabul
There is a picture that has been doing the rounds on social media where Taliban fighters with guns can be seen posing in the conference hall.
In an incident that may have a major impact on the future of cricket in Afghanistan, Taliban fighters have reportedly barged into the headquarters of the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) in Kabul. The Taliban men were accompanied by former Afghanistan cricketer Abdullah Mazari, who has donned the national jersey for a couple of ODIs. There is a picture that has been doing the rounds on social media where Taliban fighters armed with guns can be seen posing in the conference hall of ACB headquarters.
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This does come as a surprise as just a few days ago ACB CEO Hamid Shinwari had said that they had never faced any problem from the Taliban and that the Islamist Organisation loves and supports the game and the players. He had also stated that all the Afghan cricketers and their families were safe even as the entire country fell to the Taliban. “I don’t see any interference and expect support so that our cricket can move forward. We have got an active chairman, I remain CEO until further notice," Shinwari was quoted as saying by PTI.
There is a lot of uncertainty and panic in Afghanistan and cricket is not isolated. A number of leading players of the country that include Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi will take part in the upcoming IPL 2021 and then walk out to represent their country for the T20 World Cup slated to be held in UAE.
Taliban believes in imposing a strict Sharia law and the freedom of women could be curtailed significantly in the country. Only last year the Afghanistan cricket board had rolled out central contracts to 25 women players for the first time, but the team now faces threat under this oppressive regime.
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