India and Pakistan rarely compete against each other in international cricket nowadays, primarily due to the strained political relations between the two neighboring nations. Their encounters are limited to ICC or ACC events, leaving fans eagerly anticipating the rare opportunity to witness players like Shaheen Afridi and Rohit Sharma face off on the field.
However, fans can now look forward to a unique spectacle as the Afro-Asia Cup is set to be revived, bringing together not only these two talented players but also several other Indian and Pakistani cricket legends. The tournament, which previously saw two successful editions in 2005 and 2007, featured an Asia XI team comprising players from India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Bangladesh competing against an Africa XI team made up of players from South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Kenya.
The 2005 edition consisted of three ODIs, while the 2007 edition included an additional T20I match. Unfortunately, the tournament has not been held since then due to ongoing issues related to strained Indo-Pak relations and broadcasting rights.
Recent reports from Forbes suggest that efforts are being made to revive the Afro-Asia Cup in the T20 format in the near future. A similar initiative was proposed in 2023, but it did not come to fruition.
Former President of the African Cricket Association, Sumod Damodar, has confirmed that the tournament is currently under review. He expressed disappointment that Africa failed to push for the tournament in 2023, leading to regret among the members for not organizing the event.
“Personally, I am very hurt that it (Afro-Asia Cup) didn’t happen. 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. Our members are regretting it. It needed to be pushed by Africa," Damodar told Forbes.
If the Afro-Asia Cup were to take place, the Asia XI team could potentially feature cricketing superstars such as Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Babar Azam, Jasprit Bumrah, Shaheen Afridi, and Rashid Khan all playing together on the same team.
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