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**By APD writer Muhammad Sohail **
**ISLAMABAD, May 27 (APD) ** -- Pakistan and Afghanistan sides have agreed to play a Twenty20 cricket series of two matches against each other later this year, officials announced on Saturday.
The agreement reached during a bilateral meeting between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Afghan Cricket Board (ACB) at the former’s headquarter in Pakistani city of Lahore on Saturday.
During a joint presser following the meeting, Chairman of the PCB Shahryar Khan announced that Pakistan and Afghanistan will play two Twenty20 matches with each other, adding “schedule of the matches is yet to be decided, however the two encounters will be played in Kabul and Lahore.”
Head of the PCB's executive committee, Najam Sethi, said that ACB chairman Atif Mashal’s visit to Pakistan will not only support cricket, it will also leave a positive impact on the relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
According to Sethi, Pakistani team will visit Afghanistan to play the first match, later on Afghan side will come to Pakistan for the second match.
ACB chairman Mashal said Pakistan would come to Afghanistan with a message of peace, friendship and brotherhood and latern on Afghan team will visit to Pakistan for the same purpose.
“We really value this relation with Pakistan. We appreciate PCB’s support in the past. Pakistani coaches helped greatly in the development of the Afghanistan national cricket team,” said Mashal.
Both sides also agreed to strengthen bilateral cricket relations through a future series between junior and regional teams of the two countries. The PCB will also provide technical assistance to Afghanistan as well as training to Afghan curators, scorers, umpires and coaches.
(ASIA PACIFIC DIALY)
