Top Afghanistan T20 cricket league opens with star players to appear

NEW DELHI: The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced the commencement of the country's premier T20 domestic cricket league on Monday. The tournament, which features several prominent national players, marks their first participation since the Taliban's return to power.
The first match took place at Kabul Cricket Stadium between the reigning champions Speenghar Tigers and Band-e-Amir Dragons, witnessed by an enthusiastic crowd of spectators.
The captain of Afghanistan's T20 team and a star spinner Rashid Khan was slated to lead the Speenghar Tigers but was unable to participate in the opening match.
According to a senior ACB official who spoke to AFP on the condition of anonymity, Rashid and other top players from the national T20 team are currently engaged in international leagues in countries such as the United Kingdom and Canada, but are expected to join the tournament at a later stage.
They "will be joining the tournament soon", he added.
The Taliban authorities in Afghanistan have increased security measures at the venue for this year's Shpageeza Cricket League tournament.
The previous season of the league, held in 2022, was the first after the Taliban's return to power the year before. It was marred by a bomb blast during a match, which killed at least two spectators and injured four others.
ACB chairman Mirwais Ashraf called the league "very important" at the opening ceremony.
"This is a big opportunity for the youth to play with their national heroes and stars, they will learn a lot from them and will become experienced because our star players will come to play in the tournament," he said.
Previously organized in a franchise format, this season the league will be run directly by the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), featuring five zonal teams competing from August 12 to 25.
Cricket is deeply ingrained in Afghan culture, and the national team's impressive achievements on the international stage have offered rare moments of widespread joy in a country that has endured four decades of war and is grappling with ongoing economic and humanitarian crises.