T20 World Cup: Will the Taliban’s invasion impact Afghanistan’s IPL and T20 WC preparations? – Afghanistan are in a state of turmoil as the country battles against the Taliban, who have already captured Kandahar and are inching closer towards the capital city of Kabul. The militants have taken control of over two-thirds of the country and have also seized control of half the cricket stadiums in the country. The takeover of cricket stadiums is a major blow to Afghanistan Cricket, especially with the IPL 2021 and the T20 World Cup in sight.
With the Taliban conflict in Afghanistan getting grim by the day, Afghanistan Cricket’s future hangs in the balance with the T20 World Cup just over two months away from kicking off in the UAE. While their superstar trio Rashid Khan, Mujeeb ur Rahman and Mohammad Nabi are currently in the UK for The Hundred, the rest of the team is currently at home.
Today let us take some time to value our nation and never forget the sacrifices. We hope and pray for the peaceful , developed and United nation INSHALLAH #happyindependenceday 🇦🇫🇦🇫 pic.twitter.com/ZbDpFS4e20
— Rashid Khan (@rashidkhan_19) August 19, 2021
Also Read: IPL 2021: 5 Indian players for whom IPL 2021 will be make or break to book T20 World Cup berth
T20 World Cup: The capture of stadiums will mean that facilities would not be accessible to many of the Afghanistan cricket stars, putting their preparations for the T20 World Cup in a fix. Rashid Khan’s side had qualified as one of the top eight teams for the mega-event, a further hallmark of the giant strides they have made in international cricket over the last decade.
T20 World Cup: Afghanistan cricket stadiums and their precarious position
- Kandahar International Cricket Stadium in Kandahar (Captured)
- Kunduz Cricket Stadium in Kunduz (Captured)
- Khost City Stadium in Khost (Captured)
- Balkh Cricket Stadium in Mazar-i-Sharif (In battle)
- Kabul National Cricket Stadium in Kabul (Close)
- Ghazi Amanullah International Cricket Stadium in Ghazi Amanullah Town, Jalalabad (Afghanistan Government)
T20 World Cup: Taliban in Afghanistan: Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi plead world leaders to help their country
Dear World Leaders! My country is in chaos,thousand of innocent people, including children & women, get martyred everyday, houses & properties being destructed.Thousand families displaced..
Don’t leave us in chaos. Stop killing Afghans & destroying Afghaniatan🇦🇫.
We want peace.🙏— Rashid Khan (@rashidkhan_19) August 10, 2021
future, as their homes are being seized. I appeal to the leaders of the world; please don’t let Afghanistan go into chaos. We need your Support. We want Peace.#PeaceforAfghanistan #FreedomforAfghanistan #StopKillingAfghans
— Mohammad Nabi (@MohammadNabi007) August 10, 2021
Former Afghanistan captain Mohammad Nabi and current captain Rashid Khan have pleaded with the world leaders to save their country from the chaos after the Taliban continued their capture of Afghanistan. Both Afghan cricketers, who play for the Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2021, claimed that Afghans wanted peace signalled their worries on social media.