‘Too much interruption from non-cricketers’ - Afghanistan selector Asadullah Khan resigns

Asadullah Khan, head of the Afghanistan Cricket Cricket Board (ACB) selection committee, has shockingly resigned from his position. The primary reason behind his major decision was “too much interruption” and interference from “non-cricketers” in the board. Asadullah even said the national squad for the upcoming ODI series against Pakistan, which will take place in Sri Lanka, was finalised without his agreement.

He subsequently wrote a resignation letter to the board and stepped down from his position. Notably, Asadullah sent his resignation on July 24, a day after Afghanistan’s 17-member squad for the ODI series was announced. The forthcoming series holds great significance with Afghanistan and Pakistan locking horns for the first time in a bilateral series. Hashmatullah Shahidi was appointed the captain with five uncapped players in the mix.

Asadullah Khan expresses disappointment over the selection system

Following the selection of the squad, Asadullah sent his resignation to ACB chairman Farhan Yusefzai. As reported by ESPNcricinfo, Asadullah mentioned six primary reasons behind his bold step. They are:

• Not being given the “selection committee members” he has been asking for since his appointment
• “Too much interruption” in his work as the chief selector
• The involvement of “non-cricketers” who have “no knowledge of players and selection”
• Not being allowed to “talk and have my says” in selection matters
• Not being granted an appointment with the chairman, Yusefzai, despite asking for one for the past three months
• Being left in the dark about the final squad for the Pakistan ODIs

For the unversed, Khan was named the chief selector in March this year following a long process where many candidates were interviewed. With Asadullah being a former cricketer, he got the role because of his experience in the Afghanistan domestic set-up. He has also worked extensively as a coach and a video analyst. In 2019, Asadullah even served as ACB’s acting chief executive for a brief period.

Meanwhile, three-match ODI series between Pakistan and Afghanistan will get underway on September 1. As per the initial plans, the historical series was scheduled to take place in UAE but was later shifted to Sri Lanka.

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