Afghanistan Cricket Board plummets into further crisis with no funds from ICC since 2021

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) is reportedly in financial trouble due to the ICC's failure to make payments since July 2021. Since the Taliban took control of the nation in August 2021, according to ESPNcricinfo, the International Cricket Council has not given any money to the Afghanistan Cricket Board. It is becoming more challenging for the ICC to get funds into the country because of international sanctions and is therefore having trouble paying the ACB.

According to the report, the ACB has made full payments to players and coaching staff at all levels but will only be able to pay 30% of salaries to employees of the board in Afghanistan. The ACB is expected to get around $4.8 million per year according to the ICC's funds-disbursement model for full members. However, since getting $2.5 million from the ICC in July last year, the ACB has not received any payment from the apex cricketing body to date. 

The report states that ACB officials in Dubai have been speaking to the ICC on how to resolve the matter. As per the report, the ICC is trying to find an alternative route to send money into Afghanistan, which includes talking to registered NGOs based in the country. It is understood that the ICC made payments to vendors on behalf of the ACB when Afghanistan hosted bilateral series in the UAE in order to take some load off the board. The money will get adjusted against the funds the ACB is supposed to receive from the ICC. 

Afghanistan in the 2022 T20 World Cup

The Afghanistan Cricket Team will next be seen in action during the upcoming edition of the T20 World Cup in Australia. Afghanistan have been drawn in Group 1 with Australia, England, and New Zealand. Afghanistan are slated to play their first match of the tournament against England on October 22. Afghanistan will play New Zealand in their next outing on October 26 before locking horns against the runner-up of Group B from the qualifier round on October 28.

Afghanistan will then play the winner of Group A from the qualifier round on October 28 before meeting Australia in their final encounter in the preliminary stage of the competition on November 4.  

Image: AP