2021 Shpageeza Cricket League

The 2021 Shpageeza Cricket League was scheduled to be the eighth edition of the Shpageeza Cricket League,[1] a professional Twenty20 cricket (T20) league established by the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) in 2013, and the fourth edition to have official T20 status. It was scheduled to run from 10 to 25 September 2021,[2] with the number of teams increased from six to eight.[1] The Kabul Eagles are the defending champions.[3]

2021 Shpageeza Cricket League
Dates10 – 25 September 2021
Administrator(s)Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB)
Cricket formatTwenty20
Tournament format(s)Round-robin and playoffs
Host(s) Afghanistan
Participants8

Despite Afghanistan being brought under the control of the Taliban in August 2021, reports have stated that the Taliban have no issue with cricket,[4] with the tournament scheduled to take place as planned.[5] The Afghanistan cricket team were scheduled to tour Sri Lanka in September 2021 to play the Pakistan cricket team.[6] In the event of that tour not taking place as planned, the ACB stated that the T20 tournament could be brought forward.[7] However, as a result of the logistical problems regarding travelling to Sri Lanka, the matches were moved to Pakistan,[8] before being postponed.[9]

References
  1. "Eight participating franchises sold for SCL 2021". Afghanistan Cricket Board. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  2. "Afghanistan Taliban crisis: Cricket board to host expanded Afghan T20 league in September". Zee News. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  3. "Shpageeza Cricket League 2020: Kabul Eagles beat Mis Ainak Knights to become champions". Cricket Times. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  4. "Taliban 'don't have any issue' with cricket; but status of smaller women's programmes unclear". Wion. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  5. "Afghanistan cricket official says Taliban will not stop schedule, but future of women's game unclear". Sky Sports. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  6. "Afghanistan-Pakistan cricket series in doubt after Taliban takeover". Geo TV. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  7. "Afghanistan prepare for Pakistan series as new chairmanship looms". CricBuzz. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  8. "Afghanistan-Pakistan ODIs moved from Sri Lanka to Pakistan". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  9. "Pakistan-Afghanistan confirm ODI series postponement". Pakistan Cricket Board. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
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