Australia linking cricket with politics against spirit of game: Afghan chief selector Asadullah

Former Afghanistan cricketer and current chief selector Asadullah Khan has criticised Australia’s decision to avoid bilateral series against his country, saying it goes against the ''gentleman's spirit'' of the game and unfairly targets a team that has earned its place among the elite through consistent performances.

“Our women’s cricket team hasn’t played any matches in recent years, and this will take time to change. But Cricket Australia and other Boards linking cricket with politics — I don’t think that’s a good sign for the gentleman’s game,” Khan told PTI Videos in an exclusive interaction.

He emphasised that Afghanistan’s success in world cricket was achieved through merit, not favours. “We didn’t get ICC full-member status as a charity; we earned it through our performance and credibility. Our spin attack is the best in the world, and our winning percentage is impressive. If, despite all this, some countries are politicising our cricket, it’s like bringing a great team down,” he said.

Cricket Australia had pulled out of a scheduled T20I series against Afghanistan last year, citing Taliban's continued restrictions on women. Khan acknowledged the challenges facing women’s cricket in the country but said isolating Afghanistan was not the solution.

“The way Australia and other countries are treating Afghanistan cricket — there are cultural factors involved, and the nation hasn’t yet accepted some changes. But refusing to play with us because of that will only hurt men’s cricket too,” he noted.

Khan expressed gratitude to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for its continued support of Afghan cricket. “We are thankful to all teams that continue to play with us, especially India. The BCCI has played a major role, not just by providing us grounds but also through the IPL, where eight of our players compete in the world’s best league,” he said.

Confident about Afghanistan’s prospects in the upcoming T20 World Cup, Khan said the team was well-prepared to deliver a strong performance despite limited match time. “I would credit Rashid Khan and the Afghanistan Cricket Board for building a strong unit with the few matches we’ve had. Our opening pair is settled, the middle order is improving, and our spin and pace attacks are among the best in the world. We genuinely believe we can win the (T20) World Cup,” he asserted.

On Afghanistan’s struggles in Test cricket, Khan admitted the format remains a work in progress. “Tests are still new for us, and we haven’t had enough opportunities. We’re getting fewer matches, which makes it difficult to develop consistency in this format,” he said.

Asadullah, who also serves as the director of the Gulf Cup -- a youth-level tournament celebrating its silver jubilee edition in Sharjah -- expressed pride in the role in nurturing young talent. “It’s a great honour to be part of the Gulf Cup 2025, especially in its 25th year. This tournament has played a vital role in developing cricket across the Gulf region and beyond,” he said.