Shpageeza League, APL to take place this year: ACB

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) says Shpageeza Cricket League and Afghanistan Premier League (APL) will be held this year.

Syed Naseem Sadat, ACB spokesman, in an exclusive interview with Pajhwok Afghan News said a committee has been formed to hold the Shpageeza Cricket League before the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

He said the ICC T20 World Cup is scheduled to commence in June and ACB is trying to hold the Shpageeza Cricket league before this mega event.

He added that a separate committee has been formed to conduct APL this year.

“Talks are underway with international firms about APL and after finding a good financial sponsor, this league will be held in the last months of 2024,” he explained.

The spokesperson said currently about 25 cricket academies related to ACB were functioning in the country. Depending on location and area, about 400-500 players are learning professional cricket in each academy.

He added in addition to government academies some private cricket academies are also functioning in the country where hundreds of players are learning professional cricket.

ACB plans to establish new cricket academies in Laghman, Takhar, Badakhshan, Balkh, Herat, Maidan Wardak and Paktika provinces this year, he commented.

According to him, ACB has two cricket stadiums in Nangarhar, one in Kabul, Kunar, Helmand, Zabul, Kandahar, Kundaz, Khost and Paktia provinces where domestic tournaments take place.

He said construction work on two new stadiums would be launched in near future in Laghman and Logar provinces.

The spokesman clarified that about 60 best performing players in domestic cricket, would be introduced to the ACB capacity building center.

Sadat said these players would be prepared for every batting position in the national team in the future. If any player in the national team has a problem, then a player from this center will be selected to replace him.

He added despite budget from International Cricket Council (ICC) and Asian Cricket Council (ACC), a certain amount budget is also given by the caretaker government.

ACB also obtains some money from financial sponsors during international and domestic tournaments and matches.

ACB has 350 employees, including coaches and administrative and technical employees, the spokesman concluded.

kk/ma

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