ABU DHABI – ZIMBABWE captain Sikandar Raza has commended the Afghanistan Cricket Board for hosting Zimbabwe and Bangladesh in the UAE. He said cricket plays an important role in bringing people and countries together.
Afghanistan are hosting a month-long programme in the UAE featuring both visiting sides. It includes the ODI Tri-series, a Test against Bangladesh, and a T20I series and two Tests against Zimbabwe.
“I always believe, when I first started playing cricket and I still stand true to my word, I know cricket brings people and countries together,” Raza said.
“And any board that’s trying to do that they have my full respect for that and not just Afghanistan or for that matter Bangladesh, any country that’s trying to unite the world especially in these times and bring smiles to people’s faces is certainly worth respecting.”
Raza said Afghanistan’s role as hosts had earned his respect.
“Afghanistan is hosting Bangladesh and Zimbabwe and my respect for Afghanistan for doing this is certainly up there and any country who does that as well,” he said.
“Because one of the primary jobs that this sport plays — it bridges that gap between people, the cultures, the religions, the ethnicity and cricket does that. So as long as we keep doing that you have Zimbabwe’s and my full respect.”
Zimbabwe face Afghanistan at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi this afternoon, having beaten Bangladesh by 99 runs on Saturday. Afghanistan meet Bangladesh in Sharjah on Wednesday, and the final is in Sharjah on October 23.
After the tri-series, Zimbabwe stay in the UAE for three T20Is against Afghanistan from October 27 to November 1, followed by two Tests.
