Girls in Kabul attend cricket camp

Following the success of the AYCSO led cricket camps held in Jalalabad earlier this month, 50 girls gathered in Kabul city to participate in an Afghan Connection, MCC Spirit of Cricket camp facilitated by the AYCSO on Tuesday.

Raees Ahmadzai, former Afghan National Cricket team player and Director of the AYCSO, gathered a group of female cricket coaches, including two Pakistani professional cricket players. Working with the Afghan Cricket Board's female development officer, Diane Barakzai, the girls were coached in basic batting and bowling techniques.

For Hajera Sarwar, a Level 2 Coach, and former Captain of the Peshawar region, it was her first trip to Afghanistan, "I think that the talent is present everywhere, you just need to polish it. Good training, good coaches and starting school cricket will make the future for girls cricket much better, Inshallah. They need grounds and facilities."

Cricket in Afghanistan continues to grow at a rapid rate. Construction has begun on the country's first international standard cricket stadium in the south eastern province of Nangahar. There are plans to build cricket grounds in every province in Afghanistan in the next two years.

Raees Ahmadzai, Director of the AYCSO, says that professional grounds are good for Afghanistan, but there still must be a focus on the grassroots training of both girls and boys. "It made me happy to see the young girls out today playing cricket. If they continue this training, I am sure that they will be the future female Afghan National Cricket team."

The AYCSO has recently been shortlisted for the Peace and Sport Awards in Monaco in December