Zimbabwe Cricket orders national players to return home from Afghanistan

As many as 9 Zimbabwean cricketers are taking part in the ongoing Shpageeza Cricket League in Afghanistan. Following a suicide bomb blast on Wednesday near one of the gates of the Kabul Cricket Stadium, Zimbabwe Cricket has ordered all its players to fly back home as quickly as possible.

Suicide Attack outside the Stadium

The incident happened during the 6th game of the league when Boost Defenders and MIS Ainak Knights were playing against each other. Four Zimbabweans took part in this game – Hamilton Masakadza, Richmond Mutumbami, Solomon Mire and Richard Ngarava. The suicide bomber wanted to make his way into the stadium but was stopped by the security personnel. He instantly blew himself up killing three policemen and injury a dozen people. According to The Herald, ZC has already spoken to the Afghanistan Cricket Board and expect them to get the Zimbabweans out of the country as soon as possible.

“The blast happened during a match between Amo Sharks and Kabul Eagles in which Hamilton Masakadza, Richmond Mutumbami, Solomon Mire and Richard Ngarava played. They were part of nine players that were supposed to ply their trade in the T20 league,” read a release from ZC. “The other players are Vusi Sibanda, Elton Chigumbura, Ryan Burl, Sikandar Raza and Sean Williams.”

“Following today’s events, Zimbabwe Cricket has ordered that all Zimbabwean players who are in Afghanistan should be put on the first plane out of Kabul so that they return home and we have communicated that with our counterparts in that country,’’ said Majonga.

The game was stalled for a brief period before the security personnel gave their thumbs up for the game to recommence. The blast shook everyone present at the stadium, including former Australia cricketer Dean Jones, who was commentating during the game.

PCB and ACB at loggerheads

The tournament was initially scheduled to be held in July but a deadly bomb blast on the last day of May, which killed 90 people, forced the authorities to postpone it to September. The ACB later blamed Pakistan’s terror unit for the blast and hence severed all ties with the PCB. In retaliation, PCB disallowed its cricketers to take part in the Shpageeza Cricket League. Shahid Afridi, one of the top signings of the league, pulled out at the last minute much to the disappointment of the Afghans.

The final of this event is scheduled to be held on September 22.