Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Cricket

Afghanistan cricket team train in Kabul amid Taliban takeover chaos as they plot journey to Sri Lanka for ODI series

AFGHANISTAN’S cricket team carried on their training camp in Kabul just days after the Taliban seized control of the country.

The Taliban swarmed the capital Kabul after capturing the rest of Afghanistan in a lightning advance following the US-led withdrawal of troops.

The Afghanistan cricket team in training amid the Taliban takeover chaos
The national side are preparing to face Pakistan in a three-match ODI series next month

The terrorist organisation also stormed Afghanistan’s Presidential Palace where they declared they were ‘victorious’ in gaining control of the nation.

No commercial flights are taking off at Kabul Airport, which is being controlled by soldiers carrying out evacuations.

The airport is currently surrounded by desperate people trying to flee the Taliban with some sadly being crushed to death.

The Afghanistan cricket team are scheduled to face Pakistan in a three-match ODI series next month in Sri Lanka.

And according to ESPN, the Afghanistan side may have to take a circuitous route if they are unable to secure a direct flight out of Kabul.

They state that a contingency plan has been worked out by the Afghanistan Cricket Board which will see players and staff granted Pakistani visas.

The Afghanistan cricket team may have to take a long route to Sri Lanka if they are unable to fly out of Kabul

Afghanistan Cricket Board CEO Hamid Shinwari doesn’t believe the Taliban pose a threat to the squad

JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET A FREE £10 BONUS WITH 100s OF GAMES TO PLAY AND NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED (Ts&Cs apply)

The team would they travel to Pakistan on the road, before flying to Dubai and then to Sri Lanka ready for the first match on September 3.

Despite the chaos in Afghanistan, ACB CEO Hamid Shinwari has declared the atmosphere in the squad remains strong after they returned to training.

He told AFP: “The atmosphere in the camp was very spirited.

“We will send the team to Sri Lanka once the flight operations are resumed and for that we are in contact with authorities.”

Afghanistan’s series against Pakistan was originally set to take place in the United Arab Emirates

Shinwari then stated he sees no threats to cricket from the Taliban, despite the group tightly controlling sport during their first regime of the country in the 1990s.

He added: “Cricket was not an issue during the Taliban regime before and it will not be an issue now.

“I don’t remember any incident caused by the Taliban over cricket.”