12 Feb 2026 - 08:29
The Kabul Tribune (KT) - Former South African captain Hashim Amla has raised concerns over the limited opportunities for emerging cricket nations like Afghanistan to play against top-tier teams.
Amla questioned why teams such as Afghanistan only face the world’s best sides in World Cups, which occur once every few years, rather than in regular bilateral series.
“Why are teams like Afghanistan not playing enough cricket against top teams in bilateral series? They only face them in World Cups once in a few years,” Amla wrote.
He stressed that without more competitive exposure, cricket will struggle to grow in countries outside the traditional powerhouses. “How is cricket going to grow in other nations?” he added.
Amla urged the International Cricket Council (ICC) to take action, emphasizing the importance of expanding the game beyond the existing core group of around ten cricketing nations.
“If they want cricket to go global and not remain confined within 10 countries, the ICC must do something about it,” he said.
The call comes after Afghanistan’s recent thrilling match against South Africa, in which the contest ended in a tie and even the first super over failed to separate the teams. South Africa eventually won in the second super over.
The Afghan team’s fearless performance captured global attention and was widely described as a historic match, showcasing the potential of emerging cricket nations.
