Rashid Khan to captain Afghanistan in T20Is
New Delhi, Jul 6: Star leg-spinner Rashid Khan was on Tuesday appointed captain of Afghanistan's T20 team by the country's cricket board keeping in mind the shortest format World Cup to be held in UAE from October 17 to November 14.
Left-handed batsman Najibullah Zadran was appointed as the vice-captain of the team.
"All-rounder Rashid Khan has been appointed the T20I captain of Team Afghanistan. Meanwhile Najibullah Zadran has been appointed the National Team's Vice-captain for the format," Afghanistan Cricket Board said in a statement.
"Rashid, one of the well-known global faces of the game, was selected by senior ACB leadership led by ACB Chairman Farhan Yousefzai, for the role considering his experience, brilliant performance as well as leadership skills with the National team over the years."
Rashid, who is ranked world no 2 among bowlers in T20Is, said he is honoured to serve his nation.
"I'm a great believer that a captain is as good as his team. It is Afghanistan that gave me the name RASHID KHAN & it is my duty now to serve my country & my team. Thank you @ACBofficials for the trust & believing in me. It is a dream journey & my fans support will be the key," Rashid tweeted.
Interestingly, Rashid had earlier declined Afghanistan's T20I captaincy, saying that he believes he is more valuable as a player than as a leader.
In 2019, the 22-year-old was named captain across formats but was later replaced by Asghar Afghan in December following Afghanistan's loss to West Indies in a one-off Test and ODI series.
Afghanistan has been clubbed with England, India and South Africa in group B for the T20 World Cup 2021. The remaining two teams will be chosen from the Qualifiers.
The 2021 edition of the tournament was recently shifted to UAE from India due to the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
