Ajay Kumar at 13:43, 17 September 2023

2023-09-17T13:43:05Z

New page

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}
The '''Afro-Asia Cup''' was a [[cricket]] competition played for the first time in 2005 and which is intended to run for at least three years. The idea was to raise money for the Asian Cricket Council and the African Cricket Association, and the whole venture was given a massive boost when the ICC, somewhat controversially, agreed to give the series of one-day matches full ODI status.

The inaugural competition was a series of three [[one-day cricket|one day match]]es played between an [[ACC Asia XI cricket team|Asian XI]] and an [[List of African XI ODI cricketers|African XI]]. Controversially, the games have been awarded official [[One Day International]] status.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/afroasiacup/content/story/213719.html | title=Afro-Asian Cup begins on August 17 | work=[[ESPNcricinfo]] | date=18 July 2005 | accessdate=2007-07-05}}</ref> The teams were selected by former [[Test cricket|Test match]] players rather than by national selectors.

The ICC expected that there would be a strong competitive tender for [[television rights]]. However, the main television broadcasters, [[ESPN|ESPN/Star]] and [[Ten Sports]], declined to bid.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/afroasiacup/content/story/214428.html | title=Afro-Asian ODIs a TV turn-off | publisher=Cricinfo | date=26 July 2005 | accessdate=2007-07-05}}</ref> The rights were eventually bought by [[Nimbus Communications|Nimbus Sports]] for the 2005 competition and the next two competitions in the following years.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/afroasiacup/content/story/214821.html | title=Afro-Asian TV rights confirmed | publisher=Cricinfo | date=1 August 2005 | accessdate=2007-07-05}}</ref>

There was much controversy over the final squad lists: many of the leading players were either unavailable for selection, withdrew from participating or chose to fulfil commitments with domestic teams.

The 2005 tournament was closely fought. Africa won the first match by just two runs, while Asia won the second by 18 runs to set up a series decider. However, after Africa had been bowled out for 106, the Asian [[innings]] was curtailed by rain, and the match eventually declared a no result. Thus, the series was tied 1–1 and the trophy shared.

==Squads==
{|
|- valign="top"
||
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan=2 | [[List of African XI ODI cricketers|Africa XI]]<ref name="AfricaSquad">{{cite web | url=http://uk.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2005/OD_TOURNEYS/AAC/AAC_AUG2005_AFRICA-SQUAD.html | title=Afro-Asian Cup – Africa XI Squad | publisher=Cricinfo | accessdate=2007-07-05}}</ref>
|-
! Player
! Nationality
|-
| [[Shaun Pollock]] ([[Captain (cricket)|c]])
| {{cr|RSA}}
|-
| [[Graeme Smith]] ([[Captain (cricket)|c]])
| {{cr|RSA}}
|-
| [[Mark Boucher]] ([[Wicket-keeper|wk]])
| {{cr|RSA}}
|-
| [[Tatenda Taibu]] ([[Wicket-keeper|wk]])
| {{cr|ZIM}}
|- bgcolor=#F0F0F0
| [[Andy Blignaut]]
| {{cr|ZIM}}
|-
| [[Nicky Boje]]
| {{cr|RSA}}
|-
| [[Abraham de Villiers|AB de Villiers]]
| {{cr|RSA}}
|-
| [[Boeta Dippenaar]]
| {{cr|RSA}}
|-
| [[Jacques Kallis]]
| {{cr|RSA}}
|-
| [[Justin Kemp]]
| {{cr|RSA}}
|- bgcolor=#F0F0F0
| [[Albie Morkel]]
| {{cr|RSA}}
|-
| [[Collins Obuya]]
| {{cr|KEN}}
|-
| [[Thomas Odoyo]]
| {{cr|KEN}}
|-
| [[Justin Ontong]]
| {{cr|RSA}}
|-
| [[Ashwell Prince]]
| {{cr|RSA}}
|-
| [[Jacques Rudolph]]
| {{cr|RSA}}
|-
| [[Dale Steyn]]
| {{cr|RSA}}
|-
| [[Heath Streak]]
| {{cr|ZIM}}
|-
| [[Steve Tikolo]]
| {{cr|KEN}}
|-
| [[Monde Zondeki]]
| {{cr|RSA}}
|}
||
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan=2| [[ACC Asia XI cricket team|Asian XI]]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://uk.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2005/OD_TOURNEYS/AAC/AAC_AUG2005_ASIA-SQUAD.html | title=Afro-Asian Cup – Asia XI Squad | publisher=Cricinfo | accessdate=2007-07-05}}</ref>
|-
! Player
! Nationality
|-
| [[Inzamam-ul-Haq]] ([[Captain (cricket)|c]])
| {{cr|PAK}}
|-
| [[Kumar Sangakkara]] ([[Wicket-keeper|wk]])
| {{cr|SRI}}
|-
| [[Abdul Razzaq (Pakistani cricket player)|Abdul Razzaq]]
| {{cr|PAK}}
|-
| [[Anil Kumble]]
| {{cr|IND}}
|-
| [[Ashish Nehra]]
| {{cr|IND}}
|- bgcolor=#F0F0F0
| [[Chaminda Vaas]]
| {{cr|SRI}}
|- bgcolor=#F0F0F0
| [[Irfan Pathan]]
| {{cr|IND}}
|-
| [[Mahela Jayawardene]]<ref>Jayawardene was a late replacement for the injured Sanath Jayasuriya; whilst not listed on the squad page, it is noted: {{cite web | url=http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/afroasiacup/content/story/215652.html | title=Afro-Asia Cup hit by more withdrawals | publisher=Cricinfo | date=11 August 2005 | accessdate=2007-07-05}}; and went on to take part in the [https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/83/83313.html 2nd ODI] and [https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/83/83326.html 3rd ODI].</ref>
| {{cr|SRI}}
|-
| [[Mashrafe Mortaza]]
| {{cr|BAN}}
|-
| [[Mohammad Ashraful]]
| {{cr|BAN}}
|-
| [[Muttiah Muralitharan]]
| {{cr|SRI}}
|- bgcolor=#F0F0F0
| [[Naved-ul-Hasan]]
| {{cr|PAK}}
|- bgcolor=#F0F0F0
| [[Rahul Dravid]]
| {{cr|IND}}
|- bgcolor=#F0F0F0
| [[Sanath Jayasuriya]]
| {{cr|SRI}}
|-
| [[Shahid Afridi]]
| {{cr|PAK}}
|-
| [[Shoaib Akhtar]]
| {{cr|PAK}}
|-
| [[Virender Sehwag]]
| {{cr|IND}}
|-
| [[Mohammad Yousuf (cricketer)]]
| {{cr|PAK}}
|-
| [[Zaheer Khan]]
| {{cr|IND}}
|-
! colspan=2 | Reserve players
|-
| [[Khaled Mashud]]
| {{cr|BAN}}
|-
| [[Marvan Atapattu]]
| {{cr|SRI}}
|}
||
|-
|}
*Note: Greyed out players withdrew from the competition.

===African XI squad===
The African squad was selected from players from [[South African cricket team|South Africa]], [[Zimbabwean cricket team|Zimbabwe]] and [[Kenyan cricket team|Kenya]]. As the first match clashed with Zimbabwe's Test match against [[New Zealand cricket team|New Zealand]], the Zimbabweans did not play in the first game. Justin Ontong was available for selection for the first game instead. Graeme Smith still had two matches of a four-match suspension to serve, and so was unavailable for the first two games.<ref name="AfricaSquad" />

===Asian XI squad===
The Asian side was selected from players from [[Pakistani cricket team|Pakistan]], [[Indian cricket team|India]], [[Sri Lankan cricket team|Sri Lanka]] and [[Bangladesh national cricket team|Bangladesh]]. With the exception of Bangladesh (whose selector had previously only played in the [[ICC Trophy]]), each country had one ex-[[Test cricket]]er as a selector: [[Majid Khan (cricketer, born 1946)|Majid Khan]] (Pakistan), [[Ravi Shastri]] (India), [[Graeme Labrooy]] (Sri Lanka) and [[Shafiq Ul-Haque]] (Bangladesh).<ref name="Ganguly">{{cite web | url=http://cricket.deepthi.com/Afro-Asian-Cup.html#AAC | title=Afro Asian Cup 2005 News – Back in team Ganguly protests at his omission | publisher=CricketCircle.com | date=3 August 2005 | accessdate=2007-07-05}}</ref> There was controversy surrounding the omission of [[Indian national cricket captains|Indian captain]] [[Sourav Ganguly]] from the Asian side, leading to Ganguly criticising the selection panel and process; although there were reports that the selection panel decided unanimously against including Ganguly, and that any suggestion that he should have been included would have led to [[Majid Khan (cricketer, born 1946)|Majid Khan]] and [[Ravi Shastri]] walking out.<ref name="Ganguly" /><ref>{{cite web | url=http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/afroasiacup/content/story/214967.html | title=Decision to omit Ganguly was unanimous | publisher=Cricinfo | date=3 August 2005 | accessdate=2007-07-05}}</ref>

===Criticism===
The competition was considered to be missing a large number of the top players from each continent, for several underlying reasons. [[Pakistan national cricket team|Pakistan]] made it clear that its players did not have to play if they did not want to,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/afroasiacup/content/story/214397.html | title=PCB will not press players to play Afro-Asian Cup | publisher=Cricinfo | date=26 July 2005 | accessdate=2007-07-05}}</ref> and leading [[South Africa national cricket team|South African]] bowler [[Makhaya Ntini]] announced that he would be playing for [[county cricket|English county]] side [[Warwickshire County Cricket Club|Warwickshire]] and was unavailable for selection for the African side. Injuries also ravaged the tournament, as four players pulled out a week before the matches were due to start, whilst other big names – including [[Sachin Tendulkar]] – were not even available for selection due to injury.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/afroasiacup/content/story/215652.html | title=Afro-Asia Cup hit by more withdrawals | publisher=Cricinfo | date=11 August 2005 | accessdate=2007-07-05}}</ref>

==Matches==
===First ODI===
{{Limited overs international
| date = 17 August
| team1 = [[List of African XI ODI cricketers|Africa XI]]
| score1 = 198 (44.3 overs)
| score2 = 196 (48.1 overs)
| team2 = [[ACC Asia XI cricket team|Asia XI]]
| runs1 = [[Ashwell Prince]] 78[[not out|*]] (113)
| wickets1 = [[Zaheer Khan]] 3/37 (8 overs)
| runs2 = [[Shaun Pollock]] 3/32 (10 overs) 
| wickets2 = [[Jacques Kallis]] 3/42 (10 overs)
| result = Africa XI won by 2 runs
| report = [https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/83/83301.html (scorecard)]
| venue = [[Centurion Park]], [[Centurion, Gauteng|Centurion]]
| umpires = [[Steve Davis (umpire)|Steve Davis]] and [[Billy Doctrove]]
| motm = [[Ashwell Prince]] (Africa XI)
}}

In front of a crowd of about 1,000 people at [[Centurion, Gauteng|Centurion]] – usually figures more associated with domestic cricket matches – Africa won the first of three ODIs. The African side included ten South Africans and two Kenyans – and one of the Kenyans was substituted for a South African without getting the chance to bat. [[Zaheer Khan]] made early breakthroughs as Africa collapsed to 57 for 5 – [[Justin Ontong]] and [[Steve Tikolo]] both dismissed for ducks – but [[Ashwell Prince]] and [[Mark Boucher]] set Africa back on the right track with an 86-run partnership. Prince finished on 78 [[not out]] as he ran out of partners to bat with, Africa eventually being dismissed for 198. Asia, however, lost wickets at regular intervals, but a 24-run ninth-wicket partnership between [[Zaheer Khan]] and [[Shoaib Akhtar]] looked to turn it Asia's way. Asia needed to eke out five runs for the last wicket, with twenty-two balls to spare, but [[Ashish Nehra]] was [[bowled]] by a straight delivery from [[One Day International|ODI]] debutant [[Dale Steyn]], and Asia finished two runs short of victory.

===Second ODI===
{{Limited overs international
| date = 20 August
| team1 = [[ACC Asia XI cricket team|Asia XI]]
| score1 = 267/7 (50 overs)
| score2 = 250 (49.2 overs)
| team2 = [[List of African XI ODI cricketers|Africa XI]]
| runs1 = [[Kumar Sangakkara]] 61 (70) [[Mahela Jayawardene]] 52 (72)
| wickets1 = [[Zaheer Khan]] 3/43 (9.2 overs)
| runs2 = [[Thomas Odoyo]] 3/45 (10 overs) 
| wickets2 =
| result = Asia XI won by 17 runs
| report = [https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/83/83313.html (scorecard)]
| venue = [[Sahara Stadium Kingsmead]], [[Durban]]
| umpires = [[Steve Davis (umpire)|Steve Davis]] and [[Billy Doctrove]]
| motm = [[Kumar Sangakkara]] (Asia XI)
}}

Asia XI rebounded at Kingsmead to square the series with one match to play. Good contributions from the entire top order – the top six hit one six each, [[Shahid Afridi]] getting out the next ball but all the others at least passing 30 – saw Asia XI to 267 for 7, with the two [[Sri Lankan cricket team|Sri Lankans]] [[Kumar Sangakkara]] and [[Mahela Jayawardene]] making half-centuries. [[Kenyan cricket team|Kenya]]n [[Thomas Odoyo]] was statistically the best bowler for the African XI, with three wickets for 45, making him tied best wicket-taker for the African XI so far in the series. Indeed, the Kenyan contingent of the African side performed well, with [[Steve Tikolo]] making a run-a-ball 43 from number seven – but [[AB de Villiers]] used up 67 balls for making his 39, the African XI had to suffer three [[run out]]s, and in the end two wickets from [[Zaheer Khan]] wrapped up the African innings – 18 runs short of victory.

===Third ODI===
{{Limited overs international
| date = 21 August
| team1 = [[List of African XI ODI cricketers|Africa XI]]
| score1 = 106 (32.5 overs)
| score2 = 8/2 (3 overs)
| team2 = [[ACC Asia XI cricket team|Asia XI]]
| runs1 = [[Zaheer Khan]] 3/21 (10 overs) 
| wickets1 =
| runs2 =
| wickets2 =
| result = No result
| report = [https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/83/83326.html (scorecard)]
| venue = [[Sahara Stadium Kingsmead]], [[Durban]]
| umpires = [[Steve Davis (umpire)|Steve Davis]] and [[Billy Doctrove]]
| motm = [[Shoaib Akhtar]]
| rain =
}}

After Africa XI had been bowled out for a measly 106, rain poured down steadily on Kingsmead, and the [[umpire (cricket)|umpires]] eventually declared that play was not possible. The rain had already caused the start of the game to be delayed for two hours, before [[Shoaib Akhtar]] and [[Zaheer Khan]] unleashed their fast bowling on the African side. When [[Tatenda Taibu]] departed for 10, the score was 51 for 7, and only good hitting and running from [[Shaun Pollock]], who hit 44 [[not out]], carried Africa past 100. [[Steve Tikolo]], the top-scorer from the last match, was intriguingly dropped. Then, [[Dale Steyn]] and [[Shaun Pollock]] ripped out the two Asian openers [[Virender Sehwag]] and [[Shahid Afridi]], and, with the score eight for 2, the weather intervened. No further play was possible, and thus the two continents shared the title.

== See also ==

* [[2007 Afro-Asia Cup]]
* [[2023 Afro-Asia Cup]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
*[http://cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2005/OD_TOURNEYS/AAC/ Cricinfo – Tour homepage]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20140906175332/http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Seasons/RSA/2005-06_RSA_Afro-Asia_Cup_2005-06.html CricketArchive – Tour homepage]
*[http://cricket.deepthi.com/Afro-Asian-Cup.html Cricket Circle – Tour homepage]

{{International cricket in 2005}}

[[Category:Afro-Asia Cup]]
[[Category:International cricket competitions in 2005]]
[[Category:One Day International cricket competitions]]

2005 Afro-Asia Cup - Revision history

Ajay Kumar at 13:43, 17 September 2023