Africa Cricket Association (ACA) is soon going to organize the Afro Asia Cup tournament between Asian and African countries after 17 years. In this tournament, a match can be played between Asia XI and Africa XI. This tournament was last played in the year 2007. But now this tournament can be organized after almost two decades. ACA interim president Tavengwa Mukuhlani has given a big update on the tournament. He has said that African teams want the Afro Asia Cup to start again.
First started in the year 2005
Afro Asia Cup was first started in the year 2005. The three-match ODI series played in the tournament was tied at 1-1. One match was canceled due to rain. Whereas in SAS 2007, Asia XI won all three matches.
In the year 2005, Pakistani player Izmam Ul Haq took over the captaincy of Asia XI. Apart from Rahul Dravid, Ashish Nehra, star players like Anil Kumble were included in this team. In the year 2007, stars like MS Dhoni, Sourav Ganguly, Harbhajan Singh, Virender Sehwag, Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Yusuf and Shoaib Akhtar were included. At that time relations between India and Pakistan were good. But after 2008, this tournament was stopped after the relations between India and Pakistan deteriorated.
Apart from this, Africa Cricket Association also wants to organize a shorter version of IPL. CEO Qasim Suleman who is the President of ACA. He said that after the approval of the board, we are planning to bring Africa Premier League. At present we are busy with sponsorship. Once it is decided, we will go to the board, the board will approve it and then we will take it forward.
These players can find locations
Virat Kohli (India): The world's greatest batsman Virat Kohli can be seen opening for Asia XI in the Afro-Asia Cup. Kohli is the highest run scorer in T20 International.
Yashasvi Jaiswal (India): Rising star of Indian cricket, Yashasvi Jaiswal made his T20I debut against West Indies in August 2024. Since then, the 22-year-old left-hander has excelled. He has scored 723 runs in just 23 T20I matches with an excellent strike rate of 164.31.
Rohit Sharma (India): If Afro-Asia Cup takes place then Rohit Sharma can be made the captain of Asia XI. As captain, Rohit has led India to the T20 World Cup title. Rohit is the second highest run scorer in T20 International.
Babar Azam (Pakistan) ): Despite a recent dip in form, Babar Azam remains one of the best T20I batsmen to score over 4,000 runs. The 29-year-old Pakistani captain is an ideal choice for the No. 3 position in the Asia XI.
Suryakumar Yadav (India): Suryakumar Yadav, considered one of the best batsmen of T20, has surprised world cricket with his batting. Since his debut in March 2021, he has scored 2,432 runs in 71 matches and was recently appointed India's T20I captain after Rohit Sharma retired from T20Is.
Rishabh Pant, India (wicketkeeper): Pant can be a part of Asia XI as a wicketkeeper batsman. Pant is one of the most dangerous batsmen in T20. Pant is also very important as a wicketkeeper.
Charita Asalanka (Sri Lanka): As Sri Lanka's white-ball captain, Charith Asalanka has become a reliable middle-order batsman. His fast batting and ability to contribute with the ball make him an important player. Has scored 1,075 runs in 50 T20I matches so far.
Hardik Pandya (India): Veteran Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya has played 102 T20Is, scoring 1,523 runs and taking 86 wickets. His versatility and ability to perform under pressure makes him an important player for the Asia XI.
Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka): Former Sri Lankan T20 captain Wanindu Hasaranga is a master of spin in the shorter format. With 114 wickets in 71 matches, he is a tremendous bowler who can contribute with the bat as well as bowling if needed.
Rashid Khan (Afghanistan): Rashid Khan is an important spinner for Afghanistan and is the second-highest wicket-taker in T20Is with 152 wickets in 93 matches. His success extends to franchise cricket, where he has taken over 600 wickets. Rashid is capable of scoring important runs in the middle order also.
Shaheen Shah Afridi (Pakistan): Pakistan's left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Afridi has been impressive with the new ball. The 24-year-old has taken 96 wickets in 70 T20I matches and is an ideal bowler to lead the fast bowling attack.
Jasprit Bumrah (India): Considered one of the best bowlers across all formats, Jasprit Bumrah played a key role in India's 2024 T20 World Cup win. The 30-year-old fast bowler has taken 89 wickets in 70 T20I matches and was named the player of the tournament in the 2024 World Cup.
Mathisha Pathirana (Sri Lanka): Known for his unorthodox bowling action that is reminiscent of Lasith Malinga, Mathisha Pathirana has made quite an impact since his T20I debut. The 21-year-old bowler has taken 19 wickets in just 12 matches and is considered one of Sri Lanka's most talented young players.
The return of the Afro-Asia Cup could revive one of the most exciting formats of cricket, with the strongest talents from across Asia coming together to form a powerhouse team. As the discussions continue, fans are also eagerly waiting for this tournament.