File pic – Afghanistan cricket team (AFP Photo) NEW DELHI: Former Afghanistan cricketer and current chief selector Asadullah Khan has slammed Cricket Australia (CA) for consistently refusing to play bilateral series against Afghanistan, calling the move “unfair, political and against the spirit of gentlemen”.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!In an interview with PTI, Asadullah criticized Australia’s stance on linking sports with politics after CA again avoided the planned series citing Taliban restrictions on women’s rights.
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“Our women’s cricket team has not played a match in recent years and that will take some time to change. But Cricket Australia and other boards mixing cricket with politics — I don’t think that bodes well for the gentleman’s game,” Khan said.The former player reiterated that Afghanistan’s rise in world cricket was purely based on merit, saying the country deserved respect, not isolation.“We didn’t get full ICC status as a charity; we got it through performance and credibility. Our spin attack is among the best in the world and our win percentage is impressive. If, despite all that, some countries politicize our cricket, it’s like knocking down a great team,” he said.
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Cricket Australia pulled out of the three-match T20I series last year, saying playing in Afghanistan would conflict with its commitment to support women’s rights. Asadullah, while acknowledging Afghanistan’s internal problems, said isolating his cricket team was not the answer.“It has to do with cultural factors and change takes time. But refusing to play with us because of that will also hurt the men’s game,” he noted.Khan expressed his gratitude to India and the BCCI for standing by Afghanistan cricket, especially by hosting their home matches and hosting players in the IPL.“We are grateful to all the teams that continue to play with us, especially India. BCCI has played a major role by providing us with a venue and exposure to the IPL,” he said.Confident about Afghanistan’s upcoming T20 World Cup campaign, Khan added: “Our unit is strong – the openers are balanced and our spin and pace attacks can beat any team. We really believe we can win the World Cup.”
