Afghanistan board to be set up 'within days'

Afghanistan cricket took another major step forwards with news that President Hamid Karzai has given the go-ahead for creation of the country's first national board.

Karzai made the announcement during a meeting with the team on Tuesday. The establishment of a board was a requirement of funding from the ICC.

Cricket had previously fallen under the country's government-funded National Olympic Committee (NOC) which regulates and manages all major sports in the country. But cricket's stakeholders have been openly critical of the way the sport was treated by the NOC, with particular concern at the lack of funding for a sport which has put the country on the international map.

The lack of facilities means that Afghanistan are in effect a team in exile, although the substantial increase in payments from the ICC should help improve the infrastructure in a country which has no grass pitches. Despite that, the political situation inside Afghanistan makes it highly unlikely there will be any significant home fixtures.

"This is breaking news for the sportsmen of Afghanistan," the team's secretary Taj Malook told AFP. "We will get our own budget and attract the international and government support we need. This has been much needed."

Unsurprisingly, Karzai will be the patron-in-chief of the new board, which is expected to be set up in the next few days.

Officially, Afghanistan remains an Affiliate member of the ICC, the third and lowest rung available. However, given it now has full one-day status, it is likely to be promoted to Associate in the near future.