Pakistan Cricket Board said that the board has helped cricketers in Afghanistan develop their expertise. (Source: Express Archive)
Afghanistan cricket board canceled their scheduled friendly T20 matches against Pakistan. The board confirmed the news through a tweet from their official Twitter handle. The two boards last week agreed to play two friendly matches in each country. In reply to this the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has rejected the allegations leveled by Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) in the wake of the tragic Kabul blast.
“The PCB strongly rejects the baseless allegations leveled by Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) in the wake of the tragic Kabul blast. While our sympathies are with the victims and families affected by the tragedy, we reject the irresponsible statement made by the ACB and hereby announce the cancellation of the proposed series between the two countries,” PCB said in a statement.
The Pakistan board also insisted that millions of Aghan refugees learnt about the game while they were in Pakistan. “Over the years, the PCB helped cricketers in Afghanistan develop their expertise and an entire generation of Afghan national players honed their cricketing skills in Pakistan.”
“It is also deeply regrettable that the ACB delegation in Pakistan was at pains to insist that politics should not impinge on cricket but has now turned around and is playing politics by laying the blame for its troubles and inadequacies on Pakistan,” the PCB said in a statement.
Earlier, ACB chairman Atif Mashal had said that the the two boards need to revive their relations.
“The relationship between the two boards and the two nations is historic. It is not new,” Mashal said. “I am here to renew our commitment and sports should not be influenced by the politics of two governments,” espncricinfo quoted ACB chairman Atif Mashal.
“I am happy to have great discussion with Pakistan Cricket Board and agreed on various plans. We are renewing this relation with a friendly match between Pakistan and Afghanistan in Kabul and then we will return to Pakistan to play one. We have also agreed to play a bilateral series for which dates will be decided later,” Mashal added.
