Afghan board gets new chairman post-Taliban takeover

Monday, 23 August 2021 09:53

By REUTERS

Azizullah Fazli has been renamed chairman of the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) in the first major development in the game's national governing body since the Taliban took control of the nation.

"He will oversee ACB's leadership and course of action for the upcoming competitions," the ACB said in a post on Twitter on Sunday.

According to ESPNCricinfo website, Taliban members met ACB officials on Sunday after which Fazli returned to the post he had vacated after Afghanistan came last in the 2019 World Cup in England.

Farhan Yusefzai has held the post since then.

The Taliban have said they would not interfere with men's cricket in the country, Afghanistan's biggest sporting success of recent years. The fate of women's programme, however, remains unclear.

The men's team are scheduled to play a three-match one-day series against Pakistan in Sri Lanka, next month but commercial flights from Kabul airport are yet to resume.

According to media reports, the team might travel to Pakistan by road and fly to Colombo from there.

More from Sports News

Ireland beat India for first time in international cricket

Abhishek Sharma's 19-ball fifty went in vain as world champions India were surprisingly beaten by Ireland for the first time in international cricket, slumping to a 34-run defeat in the first Twenty20 in Belfast on Friday.
Usyk vacates titles before 'last dance'

Oleksandr Usyk said on Friday he had vacated his WBC, WBA and IBF heavyweight championships to pursue a final fight.
England roar back in second test against New Zealand

England roared back into contention on the second day of the third and deciding test against New Zealand with Ben Duckett's rapid century helping his side to 223-2 after three wickets for returning captain Ben Stokes helped to dismiss the visitors for 438 at a sizzling Trent Bridge.
Williams to face Australia's Joint in Wimbledon comeback

American great Serena Williams will face Australian 20-year-old Maya Joint in the first round of her eagerly awaited return to Wimbledon, a potentially tricky tie for the seven-time champion playing at the tournament for the first time since 2022.
Australia reach World Cup knockouts, Turkey beat USA

Australia booked their spot in the knockout rounds of the World Cup on Thursday after a cagey draw against Paraguay, who are set to qualify as a third-placed finisher, while Turkey beat USA 3-2, scoring the winner with virtually the last kick of the match.