Zim recall players after Kabul blast
Harare:zimbabwe have ordered nine of its cricketers playing in a Twenty20 league in Afghanistan to return home following a deadly suicide bombing outside a stadium while a game was going on. Former Australian batsman Dean Jones survived the blast.
Zimbabwe Cricket says the nine, which include Test players Elton Chigumbura, Hamilton Masakadza, Sikandar Raza and Richmond Mutumbami, are on their way home.
ZC revoked the no objection certificates it issued to the players to allow them to go to Afghanistan. It says “ZC will not under any circumstances compromise on matters of player safety.”
Officials said three people were killed and 12 wounded in the blast on Wednesday outside the Alokozay Kabul International Cricket Ground.
A match being played at the time was on a scheduled break and continued without delay.
All six teams in the Shpageeza Cricket League have foreign players, mainly from Zimbabwe, South Africa, West Indies and Sri Lanka. Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi pulled out of the tournament.
AUSSIES EXPECT TO PLAY IN UAE
Even though Australia and Pakistan are not due to play over the next one-and-a-half years — with the Asian team playing a full series last summer Down Under — Australia expect the next series to be played in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
“I’ve got mixed feelings about this one. Certainly, from Pakistan’s perspective, I really do hope they can get to a situation where they can host international cricket again on a more regular basis,” Cricket Australia (CA) CEO James Sutherland said.
“At the same time, we’ll take an appropriately conservative approach on security. We’re not going to compromise on the safety and security of our employees.
“We only consider security issues in a country when we’re due to tour there. And when that country advises us of the preferred place to host us. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” Sutherland added.
ZIMBABWE CRICKET REVOKED THE NOC IT ISSUED TO THE PLAYERS TO ALLOW THEM TO GO TO PLAY IN TWENTY20 LEAGUE IN AFGHANISTAN