Annual Report 2012 “Cricket is the language of peace and unity in Afghanistan. The performance of our cricket heroes brings a smile to my lips, tears to my eyes, love and passion to my heart and my soul calls out peace and peace!” (The words of a fan on the ACB Facebook page) TABLE OF CONTENTS Chairman’s Message .......................................................................................................................... 3 Chief Executive Officer’s Introduction ............................................................................................... 4 2012 HighLights .................................................................................................................................. 5 January ........................................................................................................................................... 5 February ......................................................................................................................................... 5 March ............................................................................................................................................. 6 ApriL ................................................................................................................................................ 6 May ................................................................................................................................................ 7 June ................................................................................................................................................ 8 JuLy ............................................................................................................................................... 10 August .......................................................................................................................................... 11 September ................................................................................................................................... 13 October ........................................................................................................................................ 14 November .................................................................................................................................... 16 December .................................................................................................................................... 17 NationaL Team Programme 2012 ..................................................................................................... 18 Asian Cricket CounciL Trophy ELite, 3 - 12 October 2012, Dubai/Sharjah ..................................... 18 ICC World Twenty20, Colombo, September 2012 ....................................................................... 18 Trinidad QuadranguLar T20 .......................................................................................................... 18 Afghanistan v AustraLia ODI Match, Only ODI .............................................................................. 18 ICC Intercontinental Cup, 2011-2013, 9 – 12 JuLy 2012, DubLin ................................................... 18 ICC World Cricket League Championship, 2011-2013 .................................................................. 18 ICC Intercontinental Cup 2011-2013, 2 – 4 ApriL 2012 ................................................................. 19 ICC World Cricket League Championship, 2011-2013 .................................................................. 19 ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier, 13 – 24 March 2012, Dubai ........................................................ 19 Pakistan v Afghanistan ODI Match, OnLy ODI .............................................................................. 19 NationaL Team Coaching Camps 2012 ............................................................................................. 19 Under 19 NationaL Team Programme 2012 ..................................................................................... 20 ICC Under-19 WorLd Cup, Brisbane Australia, 11 – 24 August 2012 ............................................ 20 Asian Cricket CounciL Under-19s Asia Cup ................................................................................... 20 Under 19 NationaL Team Coaching Camps 2012 ............................................................................. 20 2 Chairman’s Message The year 2012 has been one of many changes and growth for the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB). In April, Dr Hamid Shinwari was re-appointed as CEO by His ExceLLency Dr Omar ZakhiLwal, Minister of Finance and then Chairman of the ACB. Mr Danish took up the position of Deputy CEO having been CEO for 15 months. October saw Dr Omar ZakhiLwaL step down as Chairman due to his commitments as Afghanistan’s Minister of Finance. His ExceLLency President Karzai asked me to take on the Chairman’s position and I was honoured to be able to accept. In the same month, the positions of CEO and Deputy CEO became vacant and pLans were made for advertising. In the interim period, Mr His Excellency Shahzada Massoud Basheer Stanakzai took up the post of Acting CEO. In late December, the ACB appointed Dr Noor Murad as the new CEO. We recognise his many skiLLs and Look forward to working with him as he uses those skiLLs for the buiLding up of cricket. I wish to thank all the people who have contributed to the ACB over recent years. I thank, especiaLLy, His ExceLLency Dr ZakhiLwaL for his Long and dedicated contribution as Chairman. Under his leadership cricket has come a long way. The ACB also thanks Dr Hamid Shinwari (CEO in 2010/11 and in 2012), Mr NasimuLLah Danish CEO 2011 and 2012) and to Mr Basheer Stanakzai and Dost Nazari (Acting CEO October –December 2012). Despite alL of the changes in the past year, cricket has continued to grow and deveLop. This shows the dedication of our ACB management, staff and pLayers and we are gratefuL to them alL. We have had many important activities over the past year incLuding the first two ODI matches against ICC fuLL member nations: Pakistan and Australia. Our National Team pLayed welL in various international matches and was a part of the T20 World Cup, which took us again onto the world stage. Our Under 19 aLso performed weLL in the ACC Under 19 Asia Cup and more importantLy in the ICC Under 19 T20 World Cup in AustraLia. ObviousLy, we can aLways do better, and the achievements of 2012 point to the fact that we have a very bright future ahead of us in cricket in Afghanistan. Cricket is the Largest peaceful movement and biggest movement of young people in Afghanistan. The commitment of our management and staff aLong with the skiLL of our teams makes me very proud to be a part of the ACB. I am confident that working together we can buiLd up the game of cricket and enabLe it to make a strong contribution to peace, unity and deveLopment in our country. May ALmighty ALLah, the Most MercifuL and Beneficent, bLess us in this work. Shahzada Massoud Chairman, ACB 3 Chief Executive Officer’s Message/Introduction It is with great pride in Afghanistan and in the ACB that write this introduction and message to the ACB 2012 AnnuaL Report. From almost nothing 12 years ago, when a smaLL group of mostLy young cricketers dared to dream of internationaL success, cricket is now becoming the most popular sport in our country. The game is making a difference in the lives of thousands of players and miLLions of supporters. The dreams of that smaLL group 12 years ago are now the dreams of miLLions of people across the country – and those dreams are becoming reality. In our country where we have had so much turmoil and sadness, cricket has come along and made miLLions of peopLe across Afghanistan proud and, yes, happy. Cricket has brought us together in a way that nothing eLse has done for many years. Cricket is taking Afghanistan back into the internationaL community. It is showing the worLd that there is more to our wonderfuL country than war and vioLence. It is spotlighting our wonderfuL young people, their commitment and their hopes. As I think over aLL of this, and as I had contributed as deveLopment manager (January 2011 to March 2012), I feeL very honoured to have been appointed as your new CEO for the ACB. I also feel very challenged to ensure that the ACB and cricket continue to develop and continue to make such a big difference for the peopLe of Afghanistan. No one wouLd have beLieved 12 years ago that cricket wouLd be where it is today – and yet, here we are pLaying the top countries Like Pakistan and Australia, competing in the ICC T20 WorLd Cup and the ICC Under 19 T20 World Cup. As you read this AnnuaL Report, I invite you to feeL pride in our cricket players and in our country. The report shows cLearLy that we have a very bright future ahead of us. Dr Noor Muhammad Murad Chief Executive Officer February 2013 4 2012 Highlights January Kabir Khan Returned as National Coach Kabir Khan returned to the position of Head Coach for Afghanistan. This was Khan’s second time as coach, having Left the position to join the United Arab Emirates national team in 2010. Kabir Khan Afghan Stars Perform Well Against England XI Hamid Hassan, Mohammad Nabi and Mohammad Shehzad were a vaLuabLe presence in the combined ICC Associates and AffiLiates team which played a warm up match against the EngLand XI in Dubai in January. The ICC Team included cricketers from various associate and affiLiate member countries. ALL