Kabul team likely to feature in 2011 Faysal Bank Twenty20 tournament
The Pakistan cricket Board is considering the possibility of playing a team from http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Afghanistan-c745 in its national Twenty20 tournament, scheduled to be played in Faisalabad next month.
The board officials have told media reporters that the Afghanistan cricket board is keen to send a team to take part in Pakistan’s domestic Twenty20 tournament.
It has also been reported that the Afghanistan board officials have requested their counterparts in PCB to allow their Kabul region team to come and play in the tournament, starting on June 24.
The Kabul region team includes all the top cricketers of Afghanistan and the sources inside the board have claimed that the top PCB officials seem convinced in allowing the players of the war-hit country to improve their game by playing in Pakistan’s domestic
circuit.
In case the Kabul team participates in the 2011 Faysal Bank Twenty20, the Pakistan Cricket Board will have to rearrange its draws for the tournament.
Another issue that the board would be facing is the security clearance of the Afghan players from both foreign and interior ministries. The players can participate in the T20 event only if both the ministries allow them.
The PCB has mulled over participation of foreign team in the national T20 tournament in the past as well but the only hindrance in making the plan practical is the prevailing security situation in the country.
The participation of Kabul team in the national T20 tournament would not only earn http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 extra revenues but will also help in resuming international cricket in the terrorism hit country.
Pakistan only recently hosted the Afghanistan national team for a series of 3 ODIs. This was the first instance since http://www.senore.com/Cricket/March-c74391 of 2009, when the on-tour Sri Lankan team was attacked by militants in Lahore.
"If they allow the Kabul team in the national T20 event, it would also mean extra revenues for the board and broadcasters as the television channels in Afghanistan are keen on securing broadcast rights for any event in which their team takes part in Pakistan,"
a PCB official said.
Afghanistan team’s recent visit to Pakistan is being seen as a step towards the comeback of international cricket in Pakistan.
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