Amidst the ongoing turmoil in Afghanistan, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has confirmed that their national cricket team will participate in the T20 World Cup this year. Talking to ANI, Board's media manager Hikmat Hassan told news agency ANI that there is no doubt about the team's participation in the upcoming T20 World Cup. At the same time, the board is also considering sending the team to Australia and West Indies for the preparations for the showpiece event.
"Yes, we will play in the T20 World Cup. The preparations are on and the available players will be back to training in Kabul in the next few days. We are looking for a venue for the tri-series involving Australia and West Indies and that will be the best preparation for the showpiece event. We are speaking to some countries like Sri Lanka and also I think Malaysia. Let's see how that pans out.
"We are already set to play Pakistan in Hambantota and that series is also on. Also, we are planning to go ahead with the domestic T20 tournament which shall boost preparations for the players ahead of the T20 World Cup," Hassan told ANI.
When asked if officials of Afghanistan Cricket Board had a word with Mohammad Nabi or Rashid Khan as they are presently not in the country, he said: "We are always there to help our players and their families. We will do whatever is possible for them. Things are not affected much in Kabul, we are already back in the office, so there is nothing to worry about."