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Hamilton Masakadza

ZIMBABWEAN players slated to turn out in a T20 tournament in Afghanistan may be blocked from participating by the government over concerns about their safety.

This comes after a bomb blast in Kabul killed over 80 people and raised fresh worry about security in the politically unstable middle-eastern nation.

The Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) in Zimbabwe will consider whether or not to approve the players’ request to travel to Afghanistan.

SRC acting director-general Joseph Muchechetere said: “Normally we approve trips on the blessing of the national association and also the international federation the national association is affiliated to.

“In this case, ordinarily we will require Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) to provide their firm word. But where we feel there is a serious concern for the safety of our sportsmen, we take the matter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which then makes the final decision on the basis of security reasons.

“If the ministry rules that the safety of our nationals in a foreign country will not be guaranteed, then those people cannot travel there.”
Hamilton Masakadza, Solomon Mire, Sean Williams, and Sikandar Raza had all signed up to participate in the T20 competition that had also lured a number of high profile Pakistan players.

The Pakistan players’ participation is also in doubt after a statement from the Afghanistan Cricket Board intimated all ties between the two countries would be severed due to their neighbours suspected involvement in acts of terror. – Fox Sports Asia