Would love a Test debut against India at Eden Gardens, says Afghanistan Cricket chief
Mumbai: From being a nation that had practically no history in cricket, Afghanistan have come a long way to be one of the few sides that are on the threshold of Test status.
Associate members like Afghanistan and Ireland are set to gain a lot, as the International Cricket Council (ICC) is contemplating large-scale changes in world cricket.
The Afghans have converted their hard work off the pitch to results on it, regularly qualifying for ICC tournaments and even managing to defeat higher ranked sides like Zimbabwe and eventual champions West Indies in the T20 World Cup last year.
Shafiqullah Stanikzai, CEO of Afghanistan Cricket, believes that with the ICC contemplating bringing more nations into Test cricket, Afghanistan’s hard work may soon be rewarded.
“It justifies and validates all the hard work we’ve put in and all the challenges we have overcome to get here,” Stanikzai said to The Indian Express. “We’ve been the most consistent associate team in recent times. Our record in first-class cricket is outstanding. We have lost only one out of our 19 matches in the Intercontinental Cup”
To add to that, the Ahmad Shah Abdali cup, which was a mere regional four-day cricket tournament before, was given First-Class status.
“First-class status for the tournament means the players have an added motivation to perform even better and for us also to improve the quality of grounds, umpires and coaching standards and prepare to be a Test nation,” said Stanikzai.
Being an Associate member of the ICC can turn out to be quite a tedious affair, as only the full members have voting rights.
“It’s been very frustrating to sit on the sidelines and see only a handful of the same countries have the authority to have the final say and take decisions on our behalf and to let them decide where our cricket should go,” he said. “It’s a big move that will enable cricket to finally call itself a global sport.”
However, when asked about which team Afghanistan would like to play against, on their Test debut, Stanikzai had just one answer – India. The Afghanistan Cricket CEO even had a venue in mind.
“India has been so supportive of our growth as a cricket nation. I think I can say this on behalf of all Afghans that facing India at the Eden Gardens will be the perfect way for us to start life as a Test nation,” he concluded.
