Emerging Cricket Nation Oman Look To Entice World Cup Bound Afghanistan

Afghanistan has pondered ramping up their World Cup preparations in Oman, whose cricket hierarchy are hoping to entice the cricket vagabonds to play regularly in the affluent Middle Eastern country.

There have been negotiations between the boards for a short ODI series between Afghanistan and Oman, but time is running out ahead of the World Cup in India starting on October 5.

Afghanistan has warm-up matches for the 10-team event against South Africa on September 29 in Thiruvananthapuram and Sri Lanka on October 3 in Guwahati.

Even though there is not a lot of room in the calendar, with the Asia Cup having just concluded, Oman Cricket director Pankaj Khimji said discussions had taken place over a potential ODI series in Oman.

“They (Afghanistan) want to practice here. We are trying to do that and have an ODI series against Oman,” Khimji told me with 18th ranked Oman not part of the World Cup.

Oman co-hosted the Covid-19 hit 2021 World Cup, staging the event alongside the UAE when India was unable to due to the pandemic.

The Oman Cricket Academy ground in Al Amerat, 15 km southeast of Muscat, nestled in a plateau with mountains in the backdrop, proved a hit with spectators and viewers worldwide watching the broadcast.

Khimji, who last year was elected onto the all-powerful ICC board, hoped Oman could present an alternative to the UAE which currently has a five-year deal to host Afghanistan, who can’t play at home due to security issues.

Afghanistan played three T20Is each against UAE – an annual fixture slated in the contract – and Pakistan in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah earlier in the year.

Oman has tried to woo Afghanistan previously and almost hosted Zimbabwe’s tour of Afghanistan in 2021.

“We might also look to host them after the World Cup,” Khimji said. “We could provide an option for their T20 league or Test matches down the track.”

The Emirates Cricket Board and Afghanistan Cricket Board did not provide comment.

Afghanistan featured in the 2015 and 2019 World Cups, winning just once from 15 matches but are hoping for better results in conditions favorable to their spin-potent bowling attack.

They will enter the tournament having lost six straight ODIs, including to Bangladesh and narrowly to finalists Sri Lanka at the Asia Cup.

For the past two years, since the Taliban’s bloody takeover, there has been uncertainty over Afghanistan’s playing future and its status as an ICC Full Member.

But as I first reported in July, Afghanistan will not be sanctioned by the ICC even though women’s cricket is unlikely to restart any time soon amid oppressive Taliban rule.

It will be up to individual boards to take matters into its own hands. Cricket Australia has been the only board publicly – and privately, according to sources – to voice disapproval and acted by cancelling bilateral series with Afghanistan.

But, as underlined by Oman’s courting, Afghanistan has plenty of backers in international cricket.