ACA moots resurrecting cricket tournament discontinued after 2007

Harare: The African Cricket Association (ACA) is considering an alliance with the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) to resurrect the Afro-Asia Cup, which was last conducted nearly two decades ago. ACA has convened its annual general meeting on Monday and tabled an ambitious agenda which includes restructuring the association and expanding competitive opportunities across the continent, IANS reported.

Further, the agenda included restarting the Afro-Asia Cup and launching a new T20 league — the Africa Premier League.

The Afro-Asia Cup is a unique cricket series that features teams from Asia and Africa, bringing together players from cricketing powerhouses and developing nations alike. The tournament has only been held twice, in 2005 and 2007, and has not seen a third edition since, despite strong initial fan support.

In the 2005 series held in South Africa, Asia and Africa split the series after the third match was rained out, while in 2007, the Asia XI swept the series 3-0 in India. The series featured cricket icons like Inzamam-ul-Haq, Rahul Dravid, M.S. Dhoni, and Sachin Tendulkar on the Asia XI and top African players such as Shaun Pollock and Makhaya Ntini.

In addition to offering financial rewards, the tournament provides a rare chance for cricketing ties between India and Pakistan, whose bilateral relations have been limited to ICC events due to geopolitical tensions since 2008. An Afro-Asia Cup would allow players from both nations to join forces, generating excitement among fans and helping to bridge divides through the game.