Kohli To Partner Babar For Same XI In This Tournament? Official's Big take

The Afro-Asia Cup was a series of charity matches that was played in the mid-2000s between Asian XI and African XI. The first Afro-Asia Cup was played in 2005 while the second was played in 2007. Players like Virender Sehwag, Irfan Pathan, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Zaheer Khan, Shoaib Akhtar, Anil Kumble, Shahid Afridi played in the same team for Asia. While, for Africa. Shaun Pollock, Jacques Kallis, Tatenda Taibu played for the same team. 

According to a report in Forbes, the Afro-Asia Cup may be revived as “it is being looked at again”. 

“Personally, I am very hurt that it (Afro-Asia Cup) didn’t happen,” Damodar told me. “There was not adequate momentum through the ACA, but it is being looked at again. I think it was basically a lack of understanding and not buying into the concept,” ex-African Cricket Association chair Sumod Damodar told Forbes. “Our members are regretting it. It needed to be pushed by Africa.”

If the tournament indeed see light of the day, it might open up a possibility of Virat Kohli partnering Babar Azam in the middle or Shaheen Afridi bowling in tandem with Jasprit Bumrah. 

The last time India played a bilateral series against Pakistan was in 2012-13. The two teams haven’t played Tests against each other since 2007.

“These matches could break down barriers that are there politically,” Damodar said. “Cricket can help build the bridges rather than burn it up. I don’t personally believe that players are antagonistic against each other, so I’m sure they would be up for it.”

According to the report, in 2022, there was a porposal to restart the tournament between Jay Shah, the Asian Cricket Council chair, then African Cricket Association chair Sumod Damodar and ACC head of development Mahinda Vallipuram.

Vallipuram was last month re-elected to the ICC board. “With Mahinda now on the ICC board and Jay Shah running the ICC, that could bring a bit more momentum to this cause,” Damodar said. “Both of them have always been proactive in trying to make this happen.”