Virat Kohli, Babar Azam, Jasprit Bumrah, Rohit Sharma, Mohammad Rizwan, Shaheen Afridi and others from India and Pakistan may have the opportunity to play together as a team. According to reports on Cricbuzz, it has been learned that the Afro-Asia Cup will be resumed. The tournament was notably suspended in 2007.
While the resurgence of the intercontinental badges will take time, changes currently taking place in world cricket administration could see the Afro-Asia Cup being played again. Jay Shah All set to lead the International Cricket Council (ICC) and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi is expected to take the top job in the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).
According to reports in Cricbuzz, it is learned that discussions to revive the Afro-Asia Cup started two years ago, with BCCI secretary and ACC chairman Jay Shah showing interest in reviving the tournament. However, reports claimed that there is still a lot of work to be done to make this possible.
Speaking about the same, ICC veteran Sumod Damodar confirmed that Jay Shah has been continuously involved in discussions along with current ICC director Mahinda Vallipuram. Speaking to Cricbuzz, he explained:
“We tried to revive the Afro-Asia Cup. Jay was on board and Mahinda Vallipuram (Cricket Malaysia chief and current ICC director) was actively involved in the discussions.”
The Afro-Asian tournament started in 2005 and three editions are planned. The first edition of the tournament was held in 2005 in Centurion and Durban, and the second in 2007 in Bengaluru and Chennai. But then it was discontinued due to problems with broadcasters.
Negotiations on the Afro-Asian Cup are expected to be concluded after ongoing changes to the power structure and road tournaments are finalised.
The Afro-Asian Cup plan had a business model where 80 percent of the revenue generated would go to the African continent and 10 percent to cash-rich Asian councils. But the new model for the tournament offered something different.
Under the new model, Asian and African cricket boards aim to participate at multiple levels. They are on the same page that intercontinental matches are played at three development levels (primarily under-19 level, viewed as investment), emerging and elite levels, the latter involving current international players.
Confirming the plan, Sumod Damodar said they have not yet decided on the frequency. He also noted that everything will depend on the Future Tours Program (FTP) and the players’ international commitments. He added:
“That’s the plan. We have yet to decide on the frequency – whether it will be annual or biennial. A lot will depend on the calendar, the Future Tours Program (FTP) and the players’ international commitments.”
Negotiations on the Afro-Asian Cup are expected to be concluded after ongoing changes to the power structure and road tournaments are finalised. It remains to be seen if Virat Kohli, Babar Azam, Jasprit Bumrah, Rohit Sharma, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Afridi will come together.
