Taliban sack Afghanistan Cricket Board executive director Hamid Shinwari

The Afghan Taliban have fired Hamid Shinwari, chief executive of the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) and replaced him with a member of the Haqqani network, reports said.
Shinwari posted a message on Facebook on Monday in which he was asked by Anas Haqqani, a senior member of the Taliban, that he was no longer the ACB's executive director.

"Anas Haqqani visited the cricket board and told me plainly that my (chief) job was over," Shinwari wrote.
an official and younger brother of Afghanistan's new interior minister Sirajuddin Haqqani.

Shinwari's post, seen by AFP, was not visible over time, and the page appears to be closed. In a post-Pashtist language, Shinwari had asked for an official order but could not get one.
"I was elected to the executive board of the cricket board after a transparent process, but I did not understand the reason for my dismissal," Shinwari said.

Naseebullah Haqqani, also known as Naseeb Khan, who is close to the Haqqani network, said the source of the cricket board did not want to be identified.

"He has a master's degree and is very knowledgeable about cricket," the board said on its Facebook page.
The Afghan cricket team and its management have been hit by changes since the Taliban took over the country, after capturing Kabul in mid-August.

The club has banned women's cricket in the country and shortly after taking over the country, former Afghan captain Rashid Khan has announced his resignation.

The Taliban then announced that women would no longer be able to play cricket in the country or any other sport that “exposes them”.

The group's move to ban women from playing cricket has not been successful in many countries around the world. Cricket Australia has suspended its one Test match against Afghanistan, which was scheduled for November 27 in Hobart.

Shinwari had urged Cricket Australia (CA) to play the series so Afghanistan stand out when it comes to world cricket.

"We call on Cricket Australia and the rest of the cricket world to open the door for us, to go with us, not to divide us, and to avoid punishing us for our cultural and religious heritage," Shinwari said.

The Afghan cricket team will next appear in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, scheduled to start on October 17.