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ICC adopts wait-and-watch approach on Afghanistan
The governing International Cricket Council (ICC) has taken a wait-and-watch approach on Afghanistan but will discuss the game’s fate in the country in a board meeting next month, ICC acting chief executive Geoff Allardice said on Sunday, Reuters reported.
Afghanistan risk isolation since the country’s Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan [IEA) takeover in August, with Cricket Australia threatening not to host them for a one-off test in Hobart next month if the new government in Kabul did not allow women to play the sport.
According to the report the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has said it is committed to women’s cricket but was awaiting instructions from the government on its future.
“Our primary function is to support the development of cricket in that country through the member board,” Allardice told a virtual news conference ahead of the Twenty20 World Cup which begins on October 17.
“We have said all along that we are waiting to see how things unfold under the different regime in that country.”
“The ICC board will consider it when they next meet which is looking like at the end of the T20 World Cup.”
Afghanistan are currently training in Qatar and will begin their Twenty20 World campaign against a qualifier in Sharjah on October 25, Reuters reported.
When the IEA last ruled Afghanistan two decades ago, girls were not allowed to attend school and women were banned from work and education.
Australia test captain Tim Paine said teams might refuse to play Afghanistan at the T20 World Cup, but Allardice said there was no doubt over their participation in the showpiece event.
“They are full member of the ICC and the team is preparing for the event at the moment and will be playing in Group B,” he said.
“As far as their participation in the event, it’s proceeding as normal.”
The ICC official also confirmed that the 20-overs World Cup, last staged in 2016, will embrace the Decision Review System (DRS) with each team having a maximum of two reviews per innings, Reuters reported.
Matiul Haq Khalis, Director General of Afghanistan’s National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA), left for Baku on Friday at the head of an official delegation to participate in the 13th World Urban Forum (WUF13), a major international gathering focused on sustainable urban development and environmental challenges.
The forum, organized by UN-Habitat, is scheduled to take place from May 17 to 22 in the Azerbaijani capital under the theme “Housing for All: Safe and Resilient Cities and Communities.”
According to Afghan officials, the delegation will participate in a series of technical meetings and discussions on climate change, environmental protection in urban areas, sustainable development, waste management, green cities, air pollution control and strengthening urban resilience.
The World Urban Forum is regarded as one of the world’s leading platforms on urbanization and environmental policy, bringing together government officials, mayors, international organizations, climate experts and development institutions from across the globe.
On the sidelines of the event, Khalis and accompanying officials are also expected to meet with representatives of international organizations, donor agencies and foreign governments to discuss environmental cooperation, technical support and future joint initiatives.
Afghanistan’s environmental authority described participation in the forum as an important opportunity to expand international engagement, exchange experiences and seek practical solutions to the country’s growing environmental and urban challenges.
The visit comes as Afghanistan faces increasing concerns over climate-related risks, rapid urbanization, air pollution and environmental degradation, issues that officials say require broader regional and international cooperation.
Brad Cooper, the head of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), told a U.S. Senate committee on Thursday that Afghanistan remains a major focus for Washington in terms of terrorist activity and regional security threats.
Speaking during a hearing before lawmakers, Cooper said Afghanistan continues to be “on the forefront” of U.S. monitoring efforts regarding militant groups.
“Afghanistan remains on the forefront of what we are watching in terms of terrorist activity,” he told the committee.
The CENTCOM commander added that the United States is working closely with regional partners to contain and suppress potential threats emerging from Afghanistan.
The remarks come as U.S. officials continue to express concerns over the presence of militant groups in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of American forces from the country in 2021.
The Islamic Emirate, however, has denied presence of militant groups in Afghanistan, emphasizing that it will not allow Afghan soil to be used against any other country.
Amir Khan Muttaqi, foreign minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), met on Thursday with Johannes Bruwer, the newly appointed head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and received a copy of his credentials.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that during the meeting, Muttaqi described relations between Afghanistan and the ICRC as historic, congratulated Bruwer on the start of his mission in Afghanistan, wished him success, and assured him of full cooperation in advancing humanitarian efforts.
Muttaqi also praised the services of Katharina Ritz, the outgoing head of the organization, and commended the activities carried out during her mission in Afghanistan. He also wished her success in her future responsibilities.
For his part, Bruwer expressed pleasure over the beginning of his mission in Afghanistan and pledged to continue providing humanitarian services in close coordination with the relevant institutions of the Islamic Emirate during his tenure.
Meanwhile, Ritz thanked the institutions of the Islamic Emirate for their cooperation and support throughout her mission and described her tenure as full of achievements and positive memories.
At the end of the meeting, both sides emphasized the expansion of bilateral cooperation in humanitarian affairs and the strengthening of mutual engagement.
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