The revival of the Afro-Asia Cup – a series of white-ball matches played between an Asian XI and an African XI – is on the agenda according to the African Cricket Association (ACA). The continental body held its general assembly on Saturday, during which it appointed a six-person interim committee to restructure the ACA and increase the number of competitive opportunities for continental players.
“The Afro-Asia Cup, apart from cricket, provides the much-needed financial boost to the organization, and the appetite is huge on both sides,” said Tavengwa Mukuhlani, acting president of the ACA, who is also president of Zimbabwe Cricket. said at a press conference. “We have had conversations with our counterparts in the Asia Cricket Council, and obviously our African contingents want the Afro-Asia Cup to be revived.”
Although ACC representatives did not respond to PK Press Club at the time of publication regarding the return of the Afro-Asian Cup, it is learned that no formal request has been made to the ACC and that no No discussion on this subject took place at the recent meeting of the body. in Malaysia. In 2005, the three-match ODI series was split 1–1 after a rainy final match, and in 2007, the Asia XI won all three matches.
The 2005 Asia team was led by Inzamam-ul-Haq and included Rahul Dravid, Ashish Nehra and Anil Kumble while the 2007 Asia XI team included MS Dhoni, Sourav Ganguly, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Yuvraj Singh, Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar alongside Mohammed Asif, Mohammed Yousuf and Shoaib Akhtar. At the time, relations between India and Pakistan were warm on and off the cricket field, and both countries regularly played bilateral cricket. The 2008 Mumbai attacks, however, changed that equation and the teams have played a bilateral white-ball series ever since, in 2012-13. Furthermore, they have only played in ICC events, with Pakistan visiting India on several occasions: India have not played Pakistan since the 2008 Asia Cup.
The ACA is also considering launching a “mini-version of the IPL”, according to CEO Cassim Suliman, called the Africa Premier League, although it remains in the planning stages. “We are planning, after the approval of the board, to create the African Premier League. That is what we are busy with at the moment in terms of sponsorship. Once everything comes together, we will go to the board , the board will give approval, and then we’ll go from there,” he said. “This is the mini vision of the IPL. So we are taking this concept of the IPL and driving it to ensure that everyone benefits in that aspect. As for where we are going to play, the board of administration will decide. We will examine the facilities which will guarantee the audience of spectators. We are still at the initial stage. Obviously we want to get it right the first time to make sure we get the ball rolling, but the board will decide exactly who that is. hosting and from there we’ll bring it to them from there. It will be like the IPL format, but with a lower status, and then we will develop it from there.
There is currently only one franchise tournament in Africa, the South Africa SA20, but Mukuhlani hoped that a South African franchise could be involved in the African Premier League and entered Zimbabwean players into the tournament propose. “The participation of South Africa and Zimbabwe gives context to the competition, and there is also the experience that upcoming teams gain from playing alongside players from South Africa and Zimbabwe,” he said. he declared. “So yes, we will participate.”
