‘Afghanistan need to play at home’

Coach Latif not satisfied with team’s performance in series.

LAHORE:

Afghanistan coach and former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif has stressed the need for a proper infrastructure as the minnows eye improvement on the global stage.

Afghanistan suffered a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Pakistan ‘A’ in the recently-concluded one-day series, the first international series in Pakistan since the attack on the Sri Lankan team in March 2009.

And while there were shades of improvement in the last match played in Faisalabad, Latif was not satisfied with the performance.

“It’s important that Afghan players play more on their home grounds,” said Latif. “The situation in the country is improving so it is imperative that the country has grounds where the players play regularly.”

Latif, a former wicket-keeper and a level-3 certified coach, was also critical of Afghanistan’s performance and said the team was better than this.

“We didn’t perform to our potential. We’re capable of doing better than this, but we need to play regularly.”

Afghanistan have made rapid strides ats the international level in the last three years, including a silver-medal finish at the Asian Games in China in 2010. However, Latif said that playing consistently can improve their show.

“In the last 10 years, Afghanistan haven’t built a ground in the country and players have to go to the UAE and Pakistan to play, which is sporadic and players tend to get unfit.”

‘It’s tough to be Afghanistan’s coach’

Meanwhile, former Afghanistan coach Kabir Khan said that training the team was a tough task.

“I’ve spent two years with the team and I know they have a lot of talent and enthusiasm but lack cricketing sense,” said Khan, a former Pakistan fast-bowler. “They are in a developmental process and need a lot of time.

Latif is an experienced cricketer and has good ideas when it comes to promoting cricket but that doesn’t mean that he will make a good coach. Coaching a team like Afghanistan is one of the toughest tasks.”

Sarfraz, Saad secure clean sweep

Afghanistan, who made their highest total of the series after managing a competitive 274, sensed their first win before wicket-keeper Sarfraz Ahmed and Saad Nasim added 95 for the seventh wicket and took the match away from the tourists.

The pair saw Pakistan ‘A’ home with 11 balls to spare with both batsmen completing their half-centuries in style and ensuring that the hosts claimed a series whitewash.

Afghanistan request representation

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has requested their Pakistani counterparts to induct one of their teams in the national Twenty20 championship that increases the number to nine.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said that it will consider the request and will seek the government’s approval before finalising a decision.

“The ACB has asked us for the induction of their regional team in our domestic circuit and the PCB will seek approval before making a decision,” said the PCB Governing Board member and the board’s coordinator with the ACB Amir Nawab.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 31^st, 2011.