Afghanistan will participate in the T20 World Cup in Dubai in October, reports ANI. The news comes as the Taliban prepares to take over the reins of the South Asian country. President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday left the country and has reportedly fled to Tajikistan. With the political situation taking a new turn in Afghanistan, uncertainty and unpredictability was looming around the future of their top cricketers. But, the Afghan team’s cricket manager on Monday told ANI that the side would definitely participate in the T20 World Cup.

Hikmat Hassan, the media manager of the Afghanistan Cricket Board, also said that they are looking to organise a tri-series with Australia and West Indies to help with preparations for the World Cup.

“Yes, we will play in the T20 World Cup,” Hassan told ANI. He said that the available players would soon be back in Kabul for training.

Two of their star players, Rashid Khan and Mohammed Nabi, are currently not in Afghanistan. They are in United Kingdom, competing in the ‘Hundred’ tournament. Rashid is playing for Trent Rockets and Nabi is representing London Spirits.

Both Nabi and Rashid have urged the world leaders to intervene as Afghanistan faces its worst socio-political crisis in last two decades.

“Dear World Leaders! My country is in chaos, thousand of innocent people, including children & women, get martyred everyday, houses & properties being destructed. Thousands of families displaced. Don’t leave us in chaos. Stop killing Afghans & destroying of Afghanistan. We want peace,” Rashid had tweeted a few days back.

It is still unclear if the Afghanistan players will take part in the remainder of the IPL. Both Nabi and Rashid play for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League.

IPL 2021 had been halted in May 2021 after multiple COVID-19 cases wee found inside the bio-bubble. The tournament will resume in the UAE from September 19. The T20 World Cup, being hosted by the same nation, will begin two days after the IPL final.