With Afghanistan's political situation deteriorating, uncertainty and unpredictability hang over the futures of its finest cricketers, particularly Rashid Khan and Mohammed Nabi, who are scheduled to participate in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in the UAE beginning September 19.
As Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani is said to have fled to Tajikistan, the Taliban are set to take control of the South Asian country.
Rashid and Nabi, both are not present in Afghanistan. They are currently competing in the ‘The Hundred' event in the United Kingdom. Rashid is a member of the Trent Rockets, while Nabi is a member of the London Spirits.
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The BCCI is keeping a close watch on the situation and hopes to see Afghan players in the Indian Premier League. “It's too early to remark, but we'll keep an eye on things.
Nothing has changed for us, and we expect Rashid and other Afghan players to participate in the IPL,” a BCCI source told a leading daily.
Rashid and Nabi have families back home, so it's unclear whether they'll return to the UK following the end of 'The Hundred' on August 21. If they return to the UK, it would be fascinating to see if the BCCI invites them to join the Indian players on the charter aircraft to the UAE from Manchester on September 15.
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Rashid and Nabi are both Sunrisers Hyderabad players. The BCCI is likely to discuss the matter with the Afghanistan Cricket Board.
Afghanistan is slated to travel Sri Lanka for six white-ball games this month, according to the ICC's FTP schedule, but the final schedule has yet to be released. Rashid is captain of Afghanistan’s T20.
Rashid, Nabi, and Mujeeb Zadran are three Afghanistan players who often appear on IPL teams. Rashid is presently one of the most in-demand T20 freelancers in the world.
