Diplomatist Magazine DIplomatist September 2018 | Page 84

India’s helping hand to
Afghan cricket
A
fghanistan’s national cricket team is
taking tentative steps in their pursuit to
become a top ranking team, an effort
supported by India which, apart from providing
playing facilities and venues to the former, is
also working to mentor and counsel the team.
Indian support for the Afghan team
Despite the presence of very promising
players in the team, the Afghan cricket team
lacks experience in playing against top
international teams, which is blocking the
team’s progress at the international level.
Realising the importance of giving more
international exposure to the Afghan team,
India’s foremost cricket authority - the Board
84 • Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist • Vol 6 • Issue 9 • September 2018, Noida
of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) - announced
earlier this year that all international teams
touring India will now play one practice game
against Afghanistan. This initiative is likely to
boost Afghan players’ morale and uplift their
confi dence.
The announcement was made by BCCI
acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary during
his visit to Kabul at the end of May 2018,
who stressed that developing a good sporting
relation between the two nations will help to
further strengthen the bilateral relationship.
“Cricket will further strengthen ties between
the two countries and deliver a message of
peace. Afghan players are well known and
loved in India because of their participation in