appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

liveArticle

appConfig

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sectionsV2

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

json

Cricket is bringing peace to war-ravaged Afghanistan and can further stabilise the country if foreign teams tour, an official said yesterday.
Afghanistan took a big step at international level by playing former world champions Australia on Saturday, their second limited-overs match following their first against Pakistan six months earlier.
Despite their 66-run defeat, Afghanistan put up a great fight, further hinting that they can improve if given more chances against top teams.
Afghanistan Cricket Board president Omar Zakhilwal believes the Australia match will promote the game and, in turn, peace in his country.
"It's a great occasion," Zakhilwal said. "The one-day matches with Pakistan and Australia will go a long way in promoting cricket which is bringing peace in our country."
Cricket has attained enormous popularity in the country, which has been mired in conflict since the ousting of the Taliban in 2001 with United States-led coalition forces still fighting insurgency and extremism.
Cricket has progressed in leaps and bounds over the last three years after it was introduced by Afghans who learnt the game in refugee camps in Pakistan following the Soviet invasion of their country in 1979.
In 2009 Afghanistan finished fifth in the 2011 World Cup qualifiers, earning the right to play one-day internationals.
Afghanistan then qualified for the 2010 World Twenty20 tournament held in the Caribbean followed by their silver medal finish at the Asian Games in Guangzhou the same year.
They have once again earned the right to play the fourth edition of the World Twenty20 to be held in Sri Lanka next month.
"The whole of Afghanistan is looking forward to the World Twenty20. If you see the performance of our players, and even though we may not have won these matches, but the way the players stood up to the pressure of international cricket proves that we have come a long way," said Zakhilwal, who is also the finance minister in the Hamid Karzai-led government.
"The youth are drawn away from hostilities by cricket. Today they watch, tomorrow they will play."


No records, no role: HSBC rejects Iran-linked money laundering claim

Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia unite to secure safe passage in crucial straits

Asian financial bodies sound alert on Anthropic’s Mythos AI hacker

Singapore tycoon wants banks to pay US$1 billion for collapse of Australian NewSat

Cricket bringing peace to Afghanistan, says top official Omar Zakhilwal

War-torn country draws inspiration from gutsy display in defeat by Australia

Cricket bringing peace to Afghanistan, says top official Omar Zakhilwal

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}War-torn country draws inspiration from gutsy display in defeat by Australia

War-torn country draws inspiration from gutsy display in defeat by Australia