We will go ahead with India vs Afghanistan series before World Cup: BCCI secretary Jay Shah

Initially, the Board of Control for Cricket in India had planned to hold the games between June 20 and 30 with the squad then leaving for West Indies in July.

Published : May 27, 2023 20:23 IST , Mumbai - 2 MINS READ

Shah also informed that the Board is “currently in conversation with England and New Zealand” over India A shadow tours.
Shah also informed that the Board is “currently in conversation with England and New Zealand” over India A shadow tours. | Photo Credit: REUTERS
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Shah also informed that the Board is “currently in conversation with England and New Zealand” over India A shadow tours. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Contrary to speculation that India’s three-match ODI series against Afghanistan may be scrapped due to time constraints, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah has clarified that the two sides will lock horns ahead of the ODI World Cup.

“We will go ahead with the series this year before the World Cup,” Shah said in Ahmedabad on Saturday.

Initially, the Board had planned to hold the games between June 20 and 30 with the squad then leaving for the West Indies in the first week of July. But now, there are indications that the series might be pushed back by a month or so and be held around September once the new broadcaster is finalised.

However, things will be finalised once the BCCI officials have a discussion with Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) chief Mirwais Ashraf, who is currently in India for the final of the IPL.

BCCI to resume India A tours

Meanwhile, Shah also informed that the Board is “currently in conversation with England and New Zealand” over India A shadow tours.

The India A programme was instrumental in India creating a bench strength for Test matches, resulting in successive series triumphs in Australia. However, since the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, the ‘A’ tours have been quite irregular. In 2021, India A team toured South Africa as a ‘shadow tour’ for the men’s team’s long series.

Last year, the New Zealand A team toured India for a series, followed by India A’s tour of Bangladesh in December. Since then, there haven’t been any ‘A’ tours.

Asia Cup decision after ACC meet

Shah, who is also the head of the Asian Cricket Council, will have a meeting with the heads of the Bangladesh Cricket Board, Sri Lanka Cricket, and ACB on Sunday, to discuss the venues for the Asia Cup.

Being the host, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has proposed a hybrid model for the continental championship with Pakistan and UAE as venues, but it has still not found acceptance from the members.

“The future of the Asia Cup will be decided once we have a meeting with the ACC members,” Shah said. The Asia Cup is scheduled for September.

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