Afghanistan Batter Takes Break After Making Allegations of Corruption Against Cricket Board

The Afghanistan Cricket Board has been hit by allegations of corruption after cricketer Usman Ghani said he’s taking a break citing ‘corrupt leadership’.

In a series of tweets, Ghani, who has played 17 ODIs and 35 ODIs for Afghanistan, said his decision has come after failed attempt at meeting ACB chairman following his non selection for the upcoming bilateral series against Bangladesh.

The batter says he will return once a right management and selection committee is put in place.

“After careful consideration, I have decided to take a break from Afghanistan Cricket. The corrupt leadership in the cricket board has compelled me to step back. I will continue my hard work and eagerly await the right management and selection committee to be put in place,” Ghani wrote on Twitter.

“Once that happens, I will proudly return to play for Afghanistan. Until then, I am backing myself from representing my beloved nation. Despite multiple visits, I couldn’t meet the chairman as he remained unavailable,” he added.

The 26-year-old claimed the chairman of selection panel didn’t give him a satisfactory reason behind his omission from the squad.

“Moreover, the chief selector had no satisfactory response for my exclusion from all format,” he wrote.

Afghanistan will play in a three-match ODI series in Bangladesh starting July 5 followed by two T20Is. Ghani isn’t part of either squad.

ACB recently named a 16-man squad for the two T20Is which saw the return of Mohammad Shahzad who last played for Afghanistan in November 2021.

Afghanistan T20I Squad: Rashid Khan (captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Hazratullah Zazai, Mohammad Shahzad, Ibrahim Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Sediq Atal, Karim Janat, Azmatullah Omarzai, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Wafadar Momand, Farid Ahmad, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman