Taliban feasts with Ex-Afghanistan Cricket captain Asghar Afghan after storming ACB HQ

As Afghanistan's frontline Cricket players have expressed concerns over the ongoing Taliban-led atrocities in the war-torn nation, extremist group commanders on Friday met former skipper Asghar Afghan. As per images shared by Republic sources, Taliban commanders can be seen feasting with Afghanistan's former skipper Asghar Afghan and also taking selfies. The following development comes a day after armed Taliban stormed into the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) accompanied by former Afghan cricketer Abdullah Mazari. 

Notably, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) had sacked Asghar Afghan from captainship in June this year. Following this Hashmat Shahidi took over as Afghanistan's new skipper in ODIs and Test. While in T20s, Rashid Khan was made skipper of the Afghanistan Cricket Team. 

See Pictures of Taliban Commanders feasting with Asghar Afghan

(Left, in black kurta: Asghar Afghan) 

(Image- Republic World/Social Media)

Before the fall of Kabul when the Taliban was taking over the provinces by violence, Rashid Khan had appealed to world leaders and outlined that the people of Afghanistan were getting killed and displaced. Currently, Afghanistan's ace players Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, and Mujeeb Zadran are playing in the UK in the 'Hundred' tournament.

Rashid Khan worried over the situation in Afghanistan

Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen, who is involved with the 'Hundred' event in the UK, said Rashid is naturally worried about the situation back home. 

"We had a long chat here on the boundary talking about it and he's worried. He can't get his family out of Afghanistan and there's a lot of things happening for him." Pietersen told Sky Sports.

"For him to turn up and put on a performance like this under the pressure that he is currently under... for him to be able to forget that stuff and navigate his story and continue the momentum that he has - I think that's probably one of the most heart-warming stories of this Hundred so far," added Pietersen. 

Afghanistan Cricket Board on Taliban 

After the armed Taliban stormed into the Afghan Cricket Board (ACB) Headquarters in Kabul, the country's cricket board CEO Hamid Shinwari has said that the Taliban 'love' and 'support' the game. 

Speaking on the impact of the current scenario on Afghanistan cricket, Shinwari said, "The Taliban love cricket. They have supported us since the beginning. They did not interfere in our activities. I don't see any interference and expect support so that our cricket can move forward. We have got an active chairman, and I remain CEO until further notice."

Cricket's rise in the country coincided with the Taliban's rule between 1996 and 2001 with many Afghan refugees in neighbouring Pakistan picking up the sport.   

"It can be said that cricket flourished during the Taliban era. It is also a fact that many of our players practised in Peshawar and they made the sport mainstream in Afghanistan," added Shinwari. 

(Image Credits: @MASGHARAFGHAN/Twitter/Social Media)