Afghanistan appoints ex-all-rounder Ashraf as the new cricket chief

KABUL: Afghanistan on Wednesday appointed former all-rounder Mirwais Ashraf as deputy chairman of its cricket board to replace Azizullah Fazli, who only served two months. Afghanistan media reported that the decision on requests from national players was taken at a meeting with Taliban officials in Abu Dhabi during the ongoing Twenty20 World Cup.

"The Prime Minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has appointed Mirwais Ashraf as deputy chairman of the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB)," said a Taliban statement. Ashraf has played 46 one-day caps and 25 Twenty20 caps, his last in 2016. Afghanistan exited the Super 12 stage of the Twenty20 World Cup after winning just two of the five Group 2 games and losing to Pakistan, India and New Zealand.

Cricket Australia on Friday postponed a friendly against Afghanistan - the first scheduled between the two nations - in Brisbane until the end of this month, saying they will not host the game until the situation becomes clearer. The International Cricket Council - which has rules that all member countries should have both men's and women's teams - has been cautious, saying it will discuss the matter in a board meeting later this month.

Still, the ACB announced that its team will tour Zimbabwe for three one-day caps and three Twenty20 caps next month. The dates of the games have not yet been set.

Afghanistan left the Super 12 stage of the T20 World Cup after winning just two of the five Group 2 games and losing to Pakistan, India and New Zealand. The country has been confronted with explosive political upheavals since the Taliban came to power after the withdrawal of US and NATO troops at the end of August this year.