Afghanistan gets land for new cricket stadium in Kabul

The country of Afghanistan is yet to host international cricket due to the political turmoil in the nation. However, Farhan Yusefzai, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) chief, sounded confident of hosting international matches in the country after getting a new land for a new stadium in Kabul.

On Sunday, December 20, Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, the Afghanistan President, allocated more than two acres of land in the Alokhail area of Kabul for the construction of state-of-the-art ground.

”With the construction of this ground, we will be able to host international cricket and our people will watch international players playing at their ground in the centre of the capital Kabul, ” Yusefzai was quoted as saying in Cricbuzz.

Afghanistan stadium with a capacity of 35,000

”Kabul will be home to a standard state-of-the-art international cricket stadium. I express my special thanks to Mr President who has always supported the development of cricket and encouraged our players, ” he stated.

”After initial formalities, the construction of the stadium will also commence and we will ensure it is done with the best quality,” Yusefzai added. The new venue will be having a capacity of 35,000.

Though the country hasn’t hosted any international games, it has played hosts to a number of first-class matches and also the Shpageeza T20 league.

If reports are to be believed, ”the stadium will include a five-star guest house, a standard swimming pool, indoor and outdoor academies, canopies for the crowd, health clinic, mosque, car parking, administrative block and other such facilities.”

Afghanistan got Test status back in the year 2017 and played their maiden Test against India at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore in 2018. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has also contributed in a whole-hearted way for the growth of Afghanistan cricket.

In India, Afghanistan have played their international games in Greater Noida, Lucknow and Dehradun. Back in 2009, the Afghans got ODI status and their cricket team have come up leaps and bounds over the years.

A number of their players, including Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman take part in T20 tournaments across the globe. They also played in the 2015 and 2019 edition of the World Cup to go with a few T20 World Cups.