According to sources, Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) and their national coach Rashid Latif are at loggerheads over Latif’s unavailability for a training camp in Sri Lanka in preparation for the Inter-continental Cup.
According to sources, Latif is unwilling to travel with the team to Sri Lanka, which is forcing the authorities to break ties with him.
“We have an important camp ahead of us as our main focus is to defend our Inter-continental title but our coach is yet to travel to Sri Lanka with the team,” a source in the ACB said.
“He (Rashid) has instead opted to travel to England where he has signed up with a club as a mentor and has told us that he will be unavailable for two months. This is a serious issue for us, as we are paying heavy salary of around $8000 and also facilitating him with dailies, airfares and other benefits which increase his package to $10,000.”
Latif earlier claimed that Afghanistan players had intentionally underperformed in a three-match one-day series against Pakistan A last month to get him sacked but the official said there is hardly any truth in his claims. But he said that the ACB will still investigate the matter.
The former Pakistan captain is mum over the tussle and has adopted a wait-and-watch policy as he awaits a word from ACB.
Meanwhile, a source said that the 20-day preparatory camp is scheduled to be held in Kandy, where former Sri Lanka captain Marvan Attapatu and leg-spinner Upul Chandana will work as consultants.
“We have lined up Attapatu and Chandana and the two former players will do a world of good to our players, as they will get to learn from the experienced duo,” he said.
It has also been learnt that a proposal for a series between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka A has been sent by ACB and they are waiting for the reply from Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).
“We have proposed for two T20 matches and three one-day matches. We hope that SLC will not disappoint us, as we are looking to take on stronger sides before beginning our title defense.”
Afghanistan will begin their campaign in the Inter-continental Cup against Canada in early August.
