Australia to play Afghanistan in an ODI warm up game in the UAE [Official Media Re]

[Strike!]

From Brydon Coverdales twitter.

Australia to play Afghanistan in an ODI in the UAE next month as a warm-up for the Pakistan series #cricket

https://twitter.com/#!/brydoncoverdale

[Ironcat]

I doubt you need a cricket game at that time of the year in UAE to warm up.

[Lachrymose]

Hope it will be an exciting match to watch rather than one-sided!

[Random Aussie]

Its a nice sentiment I guess but I dont know about playing a country where we actually have unwanted troops fighting in that country.

[MenInG]

Here's the official release from CA

MEDIA RELEASE 2 July 2012 Australian cricket team to play Afghanistan next month World number one ODI team, Australia, will play the emerging Afghanistan cricket team in the Middle East next month in the latest step that recognises Afghanistan’s increasing importance in world cricket. The game has been organised as a warm-up for the Australia-Pakistan series, which immediately precedes the ICC World Twenty20 tournament in Sri Lanka, in which Australia, Pakistan and Afghanistan are all competing in September-October. Cricket Australia Chief Executive Officer James Sutherland said Australia had been actively looking for a chance to play Afghanistan for some time and found an opportunity once details of the imminent Pakistan-Australia series in the Middle East had started to become clear. “Everyone in world cricket have been really impressed with how cricket has flourished in Afghanistan, despite its pressing national problems,” he said. “As an ICC member, CA strongly supports world cricket’s ambition for cricket to continue to develop as a global sport and that, combined with the strong relationships between our two countries, encouraged us to look at how we might recognise and encourage Afghanistan by playing them on the field”. “We also look forward to hosting Afghanistan in the ICC Under-19 World Cup in Australia in August”. Mr Sutherland said the details of the Afghanistan fixture had been finalised in off-line discussions at last week’s ICC Annual Conference in Kuala Lumpur. The Afghanistan game is being scheduled to allow the Australian team to acclimatise before taking on Pakistan. Editors’ note/background on Afghanistan cricket: • Cricket has been played in Afghanistan since the mid 19th century • The Afghanistan Cricket Federation was formed in 1995 • Afghanistan became an ICC Affiliate Member in 2001 • A national team was formed in 2001 • Afghanistan has been a member of the Asian Cricket Council since 2003 • The team failed to qualify for the 2011 World Cup, but did earn ODI status valid until 2013 • In February 2010, the Afghan cricket team secured qualification to the 2010 ICC World Twenty20, the team's first major tournament • They have also qualified for the 2012 ICC World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka

[withlovefrom vizag]

good for Afghan cricket.....

[AFG_Brit]

it will good for afghan cricketers. Afghan cricketers can learn so much In matches against top teams like australia, pakistan etc.

[kungfu90]

Afghanistan or Afghanistan U-19 ?

[James]

#awkward

[waqar goraya]

we have no A team tours or matches and they bring in Afghanistan in our home series...

[Amjid Javed]

Good move by Afghans and gives them good exposure against a top ODI nation.

[Random Aussie]

Hope Tony Greig isnt commentating. Potential for awkward offensive comments = high

[Strike!]

Originally Posted by Random Aussie Hope Tony Greig isnt commentating. Potential for awkward offensive comments = high

Don't you mean Dean jones?

[Random Aussie]

Originally Posted by Strike! Don't you mean Dean jones?

I thought they stopped him commentating....

[Myrmidon]

met the players today

excited at the prospects of playing OZ

[AFG_Brit]

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1344855328.241038.jpg

news is that hamid hassan is fit and will play the match against Australia. I hope he does and we have 3 pace bowlers ( hamid hassan, dawlat zadran and shahpoor zadran) combination.

[Myrmidon]

^^ pity all three do not have more of an international stage to showcase their talents

all three are fantastic bowlers with very good pace

in particular dawlat and hamid