Following the Taliban invasion in Afghanistan, questions are being raised about the future of Afghanistan cricket. Meanwhile, Taliban leader Anas Haqqani met with Afghanistan national cricket captain Hashmatullah Shahidi on Saturday. At the meeting, Taliban leader Anas Haqqani reaffirmed his support for cricket. Anas Haqqani spoke with Hashmatullah Shahidi and members of the Afghanistan Cricket Team and the Select Board, stating that the Islamic Emirate has laid the foundation for cricket in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan cricketer Noor Ali Jadran and former Cricket Board selection committee chairman Asadullah Khan also attended the meeting with the Taliban. The Taliban visit with the Afghanistan cricket team comes just days after the meeting with former militant leader Asghar Afghan. In pictures taken from the meeting, Taliban commandos were also seen having dinner and selfies with former Afghan leader Asghar Afghan.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s leading cricketers have expressed concern over the Taliban-led atrocity in their country. Star players such as Rashid Khan of Afghanistan, Mohammad Nabi and Mujib Jordan are currently in the UK to play on ‘The Hundred’. These players have appealed to world leaders to help a war-torn nation.
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Significantly, after the capture of Kabul, armed Taliban commandos rushed to the Afghan Cricket Board headquarters and expressed their love for the sport. Afghanistan Cricket Board CEO Hamid Shenwari has said that he supports Taliban cricket and does not interfere with it.
