India rejects Afghanistan’s domestic cricket proposal

The Committee of Administrators (COA) has rejected the request made by the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) to allow its players to participate in domestic matches and training camps in India.

The ACB had made the request to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in order to provide its players with the exposure necessary to compete with teams across the world.

The COA however rejected the request stating that it was ‘not possible’.

“It will not be possible for BCCI to include players from Afghanistan in the domestic matches/tournaments organised by BCCI,” a statement read after COA’s latest meeting.

The ACB had previously requested to host the Afghanistan Premier League in India. This request was also rejected by the BCCI.

The Afghanistan cricket team participated in the 2019 International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup recently and pushed teams like India and Pakistan to their limits. Many players from Afghanistan played in the Pakistan domestic circuit and gained exposure, in the past. However the strained ties between the two countries has created a problem for the ACB as Afghanistan lacks a domestic structure that can help nurture and create new talent.