Beyond the boundary: Afghanistan to participate in T20 tournament

8 other teams from FATA and K-P will also participate in the cricket matches.

KHAR: As a symbolic first, the Afghanistan cricket team will participate in the Inspector General Frontier Corps T20 tournament which started on Sunday.

Eight other teams from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) will also participate.  All matches will be played in Khar Stadium in Bajaur Agency said Major Harris, the organising committee chairman.

Major Haris and the agency’s sport manager Fakhr-e-Alam told journalists in Khar, the agency headquarters, the tournament is taking place after a gap of several years.



This time the T20 has been organised in an attempt “to spread peace”, not only in Fata and K-P but also in Afghanistan, explained the officials. The participation of the team from Afghanistan is a “historic first”.

According to Fakhr-e-Alam, the cricket tournament will continue for one week and the teams will play matches in three groups.

“It’s a momentous occasion for me to visit Bajaur Agency and play cricket with my brothers in Pakistan,” shared Nabiulllah, the captain of the Afghanistan team Kunar Club.



The team would take back a message of peace, stated Nabiullah. “My team has come to Pakistan to enjoy the sport and learn from the cricketers of Fata and K-P,” added the Afghanistan team captain.

“We will try to restore peace and harmony on both sides of the border, and take the tournament as a good omen for both countries.” He went on to add his team would strive hard to compete with the rest of the teams and take the winning trophy home.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 1^st, 2013.