In a bizarre series of events, a team owner in the Shpageeza League in Afghanistan was banned for misbehaviour by the Afghanistan Cricket Board a day after making his T20 debut.
Abdul Latif Ayoubi, the 40-year-old owner of Kabul Eagles, made the playing XI for his team, for their game against Speen Ghar Tigers on September 13.
Ayoubi, described as a “right-arm medium-fast” on hisESPNcricinfo profile, bowled just the one over as the sixth bowler in the innings, giving away 16 runs in Tigers’ total of 142-8 in 20 overs.
@TheKabulEagles franchise owner Ab.Latif Ayobi is banned from attending the remainder of #Etisalat4GSCL2020 & fined 30000 AFNs for violation of Articles 9 &18 of the ACB Disciplinary Code which deals with misbehavior with Staff or players, using foul language & damaging property.
— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) September 14, 2020
His debut ended in a win for his team, but just a day later, he was “banned from attending the remainder” of the tournament, after violating “Articles 9 &18 of the ACB Disciplinary Code, which deals with “misbehaviour with Staff or players, using foul language & damaging property.”
The nearly 41 years old Abdul latif Ayobi the owner of Kabul Eagles is now holding the record of the oldest player played in the in the seventh edition of Shpageeza.#Kabul 🦅vSpinGhar 🐅 #SCL2020 pic.twitter.com/3MqXYxcWrJ
— M.Ibrahim Momand (@IbrahimReporter) September 13, 2020
The team is led by Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Afghanistan’s 18-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman. A few fans on Twitter even suggested the captain was even related to the owner.
Oh @ACBofficials!How many more sitcoms R we going 2 watch on cricket field! We had Latif Ayoubi, owner of Kabul Eagles,play debut T20 game in #ShpageezaT20 league @ the age of 40+.The person is reported to be father in law of RGurbaz, captain of the sidehttps://t.co/kDOoLHv653
— Mushtaq Rahim (@mushtaq_rahim) September 13, 2020
Wicket Keeper batsman @RGurbaz_21 is more likely to be appointed as the new captain of #KabulEagles instead of the current Asghar Afghan for this year @shpageeza.
The new owner of the franchise is reportedly his father in law too. pic.twitter.com/s259BADkKd— M.Ibrahim Momand (@IbrahimReporter) August 17, 2020
The domestic T20 league, which was established in 2013, currently features notable players from the Afghanistan international team.
In the past, overseas cricketers such as Cameron Delport, Hamilton Masakadza and Sikandar Raza, among others, have been part of the squads, while former players such as Herschelle Gibbs and Adam Hollioake have been part of the support staff.
