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| Alokozay Kabul International Cricket Ground | |
|---|---|
| Name | Alokozay Kabul International Cricket Ground |
| Location | Kabul, Afghanistan |
| Established | 2018 |
| Capacity | 6,000 |
| Ends | North End, South End |
| Owner | Afghanistan Cricket Board |
Alokozay Kabul International Cricket Ground is a cricket venue in Kabul, Afghanistan that serves as a focal point for Afghan cricket development, international fixtures, and regional tournaments. The venue has hosted domestic competitions, international matches, and training camps involving teams and administrators from across Asia and beyond. It is associated with Afghan sporting infrastructure initiatives and has been the site of prominent fixtures featuring players, coaches, and officials linked to major cricket institutions.
The ground opened amid reconstruction efforts and sports diplomacy involving the Afghanistan national cricket team, Afghanistan Cricket Board, Alokozay Group, Asian Cricket Council, International Cricket Council, and regional stakeholders such as the Board of Control for Cricket in India and Pakistan Cricket Board. Early fixtures included matches with development squads from England Lions, Australia A, Bangladesh A, Sri Lanka A and touring sides from United Arab Emirates and Oman national cricket team. Prominent Afghan players such as Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Hashmatullah Shahidi featured in inauguration events, alongside coaches affiliated with Kolkata Knight Riders, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Multan Sultans in franchise contexts. The ground's history intersects with regional tournaments like the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup, Under-19 Cricket World Cup preparations, and fixtures connected to the Asia Cup calendar.
Located in Kabul near landmarks and institutions including Kabul International Airport, Zanbaq Palace (local urban districts), and municipal transport hubs, the ground sits within a sports precinct linked to the Afghanistan Football Federation and training centers used by Ministry of Information and Culture initiatives. Facilities include a pavilion modeled after regional standards seen at venues such as Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Kensington Oval, and Sheikh Zayed Stadium. On-site amenities mirror those at stadia operated by the Marylebone Cricket Club, Cricket Australia, and England and Wales Cricket Board affiliates: dressing rooms used by touring squads (including delegations from New Zealand cricket team and South Africa national cricket team), media centers complying with International Cricket Council protocols, practice nets comparable to facilities at Bellerive Oval and Gaddafi Stadium, and hospitality areas frequented by officials from Asian Games delegations and representatives of the Olympic Council of Asia.
The playing surface has been prepared with input from turf specialists linked to institutes such as CricViz consultants, former groundsmen from Eden Gardens, and agronomy advisors familiar with conditions at Bangalore Turf Club. The pitch typically favors spin bowlers similar to surfaces at Sardar Patel Stadium and Pindi Club Ground, while offering variable bounce that visiting pace attacks from West Indies cricket team and Ireland cricket team have negotiated. Outfield drainage follows standards employed at venues overseen by International Cricket Council venue accreditation teams, and the ground dimensions align with guidelines used at Melbourne Cricket Ground and Trent Bridge for international status hosting.
The venue hosts matches for the Ahmad Shah Abdali 4-day Tournament, Shpageeza Cricket League, and age-group competitions feeding the Afghanistan national under-19 cricket team into ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup cycles. International fixtures have included bilateral series featuring the United Arab Emirates national cricket team, Nepal national cricket team, and invitational matches against development teams from Hong Kong cricket team and Malaysia national cricket team. The ground has been used for women's fixtures linked to the Afghanistan women's national cricket team training programs and regional tournaments organized under Asian Cricket Council women's initiatives.
Notable performances at the ground include centuries by leading Afghan batsmen such as Rahmat Shah and high-spin tallies by Rashid Khan-style legspinners during domestic finals. Records parallel those kept at venues like Queen's Park Oval and Pallekele International Cricket Stadium: highest individual scores in Shpageeza finals, best bowling figures in Ahmad Shah Abdali matches, and highest team totals in Twenty20 and List A fixtures. The ground has hosted milestone matches for Afghanistan cricket milestones, ceremony appearances by dignitaries connected to NATO-era cultural exchanges and sports diplomacy delegations from Turkey and Qatar.
Ownership and administration involve the Afghanistan Cricket Board in partnership with private stakeholders including the Alokozay Group and municipal authorities linked to the Kabul Municipality. Operations incorporate guidance from the International Cricket Council venue accreditation processes, coordination with Asian Cricket Council event planning teams, and engagement with franchise operators associated with Bangladesh Premier League and Pakistan Super League talent pipelines. Security and logistics have been coordinated with entities historically engaged in Kabul sporting events, including liaison with foreign diplomatic missions such as the Embassy of the United States, Kabul and representatives connected to United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan when international teams toured.
Access to the ground is served by roadways connecting to Jalalabad Road, public transport nodes near Kabul Serena Hotel, and proximity to Kabul International Airport for visiting teams and officials. Parking and access routes take cues from venue logistics used at Hyderabad Stadium and Sharjah Cricket Stadium, while spectator ingress and egress plans reference models used by Indian Premier League venues. Contingency arrangements have included chartered transport for teams from hubs like Peshawar and Islamabad and coordination with aviation operators linking to Doha and Dubai transit points.
Category:Cricket grounds in Afghanistan Category:Sport in Kabul