Photo Credit: Afghanistan Cricket Board
The Green Afghanistan One Day Cup is a domestic cricket event introduced by the Afghanistan Cricket Board to enhance the quality of the game and promote the cultivation of plants & greenery in the country. The inaugural edition was held in May 2022 in Khost province, with the 2nd edition of the event is currently underway in Khost province.
Format and Players:
The event is being held in a One Day format and is being conducted on a double round-robin basis where all the participating teams play the others twice before the top two teams advance to the final. The event features all the available national-level players to prepare for upcoming international assignments. In order to promote young cricketers, all teams include some of the best young players who are part of the emerging and development programs of the ACB.
First Edition & Best Players:
The First Edition of the event was a big success that was held in May 2022 between three teams and played an instrumental role in the preparation of the National Team for the Zimbabwe Tour, which resulted in a 3-0 ODI series win as well as a 3-0 win in the T20I series. Hindukush Strikers, led by Najibullah Zadran, beat Pamir Legends in the Final to clinch the inaugural edition of the Green Afghanistan One Day Cup.
Shahidullah Kamal who had scored 271 runs at an average of 67.75 including 3 half-centuries to his name in the event was awarded as the best batter of the tournament. The left-arm spinner Zia Akbar who had taken 14 wickets at a bowling average of 12 runs, was awarded as the best bowler of the event.
Sediqullah Atal was awarded as the emerging player of the event, whereas Ibrahim Zadran, who had scored 254 runs with a century and a half-century to his name was declared the best player of the tournament.
Super Cola Green Afghanistan One Day Cup 2023: The event’s 2nd Edition
The Second Edition of the Green Afghanistan One-Day Cup began on April 29 in Khost province. The event features four teams and aims to promote the cultivation of plants in the country while also serving as preparation for the AfghanAtalan’s international events.
For this year’s event, the ACB has added a team of National U19 players, known as Junior Champions, to help them play against their senior counterparts and better prepare for their international assignments.
The tournament is being played in a one-day format and a total of 13 games will be played across 19 days. All four teams will face each other twice in a double round-robin format followed by a final on May 17.
ACB CEO Mr. Naseeb Khan was delighted with the commencement of the 2nd edition of the event and stated that the first edition of the Green Afghanistan One Day Cup was a big success and was largely welcomed by fans and spectators in the country. “The tournament was significant in preparing AfghanAtalan for Afghanistan’s tour of Zimbabwe, where they won both the Super League ODIs and the T20I series 3-0. As we prepare for our international assignments in the near future, the ACB plans to organize the event’s second edition to prepare our National team for the events ahead.” He added.
Teams’ Names Definition:
- Hindukush Strikers: The Name Hindukush is inspired by the famous mountain range, which stretches from Afghanistan into South Asian countries and is regarded as a significant geological feature that has influenced the culture and history of the region. The team is named Hindukush Strikers, with inspiration from this majestic mountain range which is incorporated into its logo design.
- Pamir Legends: The Pamir name is driven from the Pamir Mountains, one of the highest mountain ranges in the world. A portion of the range is situated in Afghanistan’s northeast province of Badakhshan and served as a crossroad for trade and cultural exchange between different communities over the centuries.
- Maiwand Defenders: Maiwand is a district located in Kandahar province and is famous for the historic battle during the 2nd Anglo-Afghan War in 1880 that occurred there and resulted in a decisive victory for the Afghan fighters. Maiwand is considered a symbol of resistance and bravery in Afghan history, thus, the team, Maiwad Defenders, is named after it.
- Junior Champions: Junior Champions refers to Afghanistan’s U19 Team participating in the Green Afghanistan One Day Cup 2023.
Squads:
Hindukush Strikers: Najibullah Zadran (C), Ibrahim Zadran, Ihsan Janat, Usman Ghani, Shabir Noori, Khalid Zahidi, Darwish Rasooli, Afsar Zazai, Karim Janat, AbdulRahman, Hamza Hotak, Khalil Gurbaz, Mujeeb Zadran, Nijat Masoud, Zia Sharifi, Dawlat Zadran and Waqarullah Ishaq.
Pamir Legends: Rahmat Shah (C), Riaz Hassan, Hazratullah Zazai, Mohammad Shahzad, Shahidullah Kamal, Baheer Shah Mahboob, Shawkat Zaman, Ahmad Zahir, Gulbadin Naib, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Tahir Adil, Zahir Khan, Ibrahim Abdulrahimzai, Fareed Ahmad, Abdul Baqi and Sayed Ahmad Shirzad.
Maiwand Defenders: Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Noor Ali Zadran, Abdul Malik, Sediqullah Atal, Nasir Jamal, Samiullah Shinwari, Ikram Alikhil, Hayatullah Nasiri, Bahar Ali, Nangyal Kharoti, Qais Ahmad, Azmatullah Omarzai, Zia Akbar, Yamin Ahmadzai, Aftab Alam and Wafadar Momand.
Junior Champions: Mohammad Haroon (C), Sohail Khan, Suliman Arabzai, Hizbullah Durrani, Kamran Hotak, Mohammad Haroon, Noman Shah, Khalid Taniwall, Wafiullah Tarakhil, Akram Mohammadzai, Jamshid Zadran, Ali Ahmad, Nasir Hassan, Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar, Gul Zar Khan, Nasir Khan, Bashir Ahmad, Fraidon Dawoodzai, Yama Arab, Khalil Ahmad and Jameel Shinwari.
Production and Broadcasting Services:
The Afghanistan Cricket Board signed the production and broadcasting agreement of the event with the Radio Television of Afghanistan – RTA. The event is televised with a 10-camera setup and is being broadcasted live by RTA in Afghanistan. The event is also streamed live by Fancode and HSL in abroad and is also being streamed through Green Afghanistan One Day Cup Facebook Page in Afghanistan.
Sponsors:
The Title Sponsorship Rights of the Green Afghanistan One Day Cup were granted to Super Cola Beverages Manufacturing Company which has also been granted the naming right of the event. In addition, Dafanews has earned the Powered-By Sponsorship rights of the Green Afghanistan One Day Cup 2023.
Benefits:
The Green Afghanistan One Day Cup is not just a simple cricketing event, but has multiple benefits and serves as a platform that contributes to the development and expansion of the game in Afghanistan. The event provides excellent entertainment to the spectators, with the country’s finest cricketers showcasing their skills on the field.
The event also helps to prepare both the National and U19 teams for future international events, as it provides them with a perfect opportunity to grace their skills and prepare themselves for upcoming international events.
The inclusion of young cricketers in the event through the Junior Champions team helps engage youngsters with their senior cricketers, providing them with valuable insights and guidance on how to improve their game. Additionally, the Green Afghanistan One Day Cup enhances the domestic cricket structure of the country and adds a diverse range of competitions that further enhance the quality of the game in Afghanistan.
