Jasprit Bumrah and Shaheen Afridi collaborate: From a series of world cup matches between a united Asian XI & an Africa XI in the mid-2000s, bitter rivals both of India and Pakistan made acquaintances with cricket players MS Dhoni & Sourav Ganguly. Of the team participants are Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, Shahid Afridi, who plays for India, and Shoaib was Akhtar. 2005 and 2007 saw the series of corresponds, which was put on under the name “Afro-Asia Cup.” Having elite cricket players team up to play for various continents was undoubtedly a fascinating notion.
The Africa XI consists of cricket players representing South Africa, Zimbabwe, & Kenya, whilst the Asian XI is made from players in the nation of Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and other countries.
A three-match ODI series that took place in 2005 finished 1-1. The competition made a second appearance two years later, this time including a T20I. Asia XI won the ODI series 3-0 and the lone T20I, completing a perfect sweep.
However, the competition was canceled due to broadcasting concerns and geopolitical tensions between Pakistan and India.
According to past reports, there are intentions to revive the competition, which might make a T20 comeback in 2023. Nothing came of it, but according to a recent Forbes piece, there’s a chance the competition might return.
Will Jasprit Bumrah and Shaheen Afridi collaborate:
Sumod Damodar, the former chair of the Africa Cricket Association (ACA), says that although they regret not advocating for the revival of the Afro-Asia Cup earlier, it is currently “being looked at again.”
“I am personally deeply hurt that the Afro-Asia Cup did not take place. The ACA did not pass with enough impetus, but it is currently being reexamined. I believe the main causes were a lack of comprehension and a refusal to accept the idea. Members of our group regret it. Africa had to be the driving force behind it, Damodar told Forbes.
When the endeavor succeeds, an Asian XI might include athletes like Shaheen Afridi, Babar Azam, and Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav alongside Bumrah and Babar Azam as openers.
Damodar believes that the head of development for the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), Mahinda Vallipuram, and the newly appointed chairman of the ICC, Jay Shah, could be pivotal in this respect.
“This cause might gain a little more traction now that Jay Shah is leading the ICC and Mahinda is a member of its board. They’ve both always taken the initiative to attempt to make this happen, according to Damodar.
