Given that India hosted Afghanistan for a one-off test and that its players frequently compete in the highly profitable Indian Premier League, Afghanistan cricket views India as their second home. When the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) assigned multiple locations throughout India for them to play international matches against other countries, the link was further cemented.
One such effort is the September Test match between Afghanistan and New Zealand, which will take place at the Shahid Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex in Greater Noida.
For those who may not know, Australia stopped playing bilateral cricket with Afghanistan in 2021 after the Taliban seized power in that nation. According to a TOI (Times of India) article, the decision was made because the new government forbade women from participating in any sports. Additionally, the impending match between New Zealand and Afghanistan has given rise to fresh insights. India will serve as the venue for the three Test matches between the New Zealand cricket team and Afghanistan in October and November.
As previously reported, Afghanistan will have three home grounds from BCCI: Greater Noida, Kanpur, and Lucknow. The squad will be playing in Noida for the first time in four years when they take against the Black Caps. The extreme heat in North India caused them to postpone their scheduled white-ball series against Bangladesh in July. A source acknowledged the BCCI’s efforts and their support for a poor cricketing nation.
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“Soon after the change in Kabul in 2021, when the Taliban took over, the BCCI was the first cricket board to support Afghanistan,” according to a source.
Afghanistan’s rise to prominence in cricket
Afghanistan’s World Cup 2023 campaign was nothing short of extraordinary, and they have made a tremendous comeback on the international front. They made an impression on the world stage by defeating Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and England. They advanced farther in the T20 World Cup 2024, defeating both Australia and New Zealand to secure a spot in the tournament’s semifinals.
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