Afro-Asia Cup set to return after almost two decades

The Afro-Asia Cup, played between an African XI and Asia XI, is all set to be revived, the Africa Cricket Association (ACA) confirmed. On Saturday, the ACA appointed a six-member interim committee in its Annual General Meeting (AGM) where discussions to increase opportunities for cricketers in Asia and Africa.

The inaugural edition of the tournament took place in 2005 in South Africa, after which India hosted the championship in 2007. Kenya was scheduled to host the 2009 edition, but it never happened for some reason.

"The Afro-Asia Cup, apart from the cricket, brings the much-needed financial input to the organisation, and the appetite is huge from both ends," Tavengwa Mukuhlani, interim chair of the ACA, said in a press conference, ESPNcricinfo reported.

"We have had conversations with our counterparts within the Asia Cricket Council, and obviously our African contingents, they want the



Afro-Asia Cup to be revived,” Mukuhlani, who’s also the Zimbabwe Cricket Chair, added.

If the Afro-Asia Cup happens, it will give a chance for cricketers from India and Pakistan to play in the same playing XI. Since January 2013, India and Pakistan have only locked horns in ICC and ACC events, and not bilateral affairs. India haven’t gone to Pakistan since the Asia Cup back in 2008.

Back in 2005, the thee-match series was drawn 1-1 with the last match getting called off. Notable players included Virender Sehwag, Shahid Afridi, and Sanath Jayasuriya. The squad was led by Inzamam-ul-Haq and had Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble and Ashish Nehra as some of the big names.

In 2007, it was Asia who came up trumps after winning the series 3-0. In 2007, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammed Asif and Mohammed Yousuf played alongside the likes of Zaheer Khan, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni, Sourav Ganguly and Harbhajan Singh.