"A strong performance in the T20 World Cup is what we feel we all owe the people of Afghanistan" - Team head coach Lance Klusener
Afghanistan cricket head coach Lance Klusener feels his team owes the people of the country a strong performance in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2021.
The Afghan nation has recently gone through a political power transition.
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Amidst all the chaos, Lance Klusener hopes that cricket can bring some solace to the country in these troublesome times.
Speaking to the Telegraph India, the former South African all-rounder expressed his views on the current situation in Afghanistan and then discussed the upcoming cricket assignments.
"With any change of leadership or government, it may lead towards uncertain times. Doesn’t matter where you are really. But I think let’s just give it time and I’m also pretty certain that cricket will get going again. It’s still very, very early days and very difficult or unfair to jump to conclusions.
"Hopefully, we can get the Pakistan series happening and a good, strong performance in the T20 World Cup is what we feel we all owe the people of Afghanistan."
"The ability of the Afghanistan players to focus on the game once they get to the other side of the boundary is just fantastic" - Lance Klusener
Lance Klusener has also applauded the ability of Afghan players to switch their focus back to cricket once they enter the field and not let outside factors hurt their game.
Addressing the professionalism of the players, Klusener said:
"Not just Rashid and Nabi, but a lot of our other players as well have had a lot of things to deal with back home over the years, just like a lot of other people. But their ability to focus on the game once they get to the other side of the boundary is just fantastic.
"But yeah, as for Rashid and Nabi, I’m not surprised to see them as true professionals really in the way they have handled themselves and completed their work for their franchises. Our thoughts and prayers are not just with them, but all the people of Afghanistan and at the end of the day, just wishing them peace."
The Afghanistan Cricket Board has already announced its squad for the three-match ODI series against Pakistan, which is expected to happen in September.
The schedule for the series might be finalized soon after deliberations between both boards.