With cricket events suspended globally and funds shrinking faster than it hoped, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has announced that it will be slashing the salaries of its coaching staff by 25% in May. Afghanistan’s last cricket assignment was against Ireland on March 10 and since then the cricket team have been off-field with the coronavirus pandemic also cancelling all cricket event post-mid-March 2020. Reports said that the board has cleared all dues of its contracted players and staff until March 2020 but are preparing a plan to save themselves from going bankrupt in case the COVID-19 situation worsens. Shafiqullah Shafaq, Afghanistan Wicket-Keeper-Batsman, Banned for Six Years for Involvement in Corruption in APL T20, BPL.

According to a report from ESPNcricinfo, the salary cuts of the coaching staff could rise to 50% in June in Afghanistan’s tour of Zimbabwe is cancelled. The report also stated that the board could review the salary structure of its players if the financial situation worsens. "This is part of our cost-saving strategy as we have been also impacted by the Covid-19 crisis," ACB chief executive Lutfullah Stanikzai told the cricket website. "We have decided to cut 25% (of the salary for the coaches) for May, 50% for June if we are not able to resume international cricket. We will try and keep them for as long as our financial situation allows."

Among members of coaching staff set to face a 25% salary deduction are head former South Africa stars Lance Klusener, HD Ackerman and former Afghan captain Nawroz Mangal. Klusener and Ackerman are the head and batting coach while Mangal serves as an assistant in the Afghanistan cricket team. Klusener and Ackerman have a year remaining in their respective contracts.

Stanikzai further added that things could get worse if this year’s Asia Cup and the 2020 ICC T20 World Cup do not go as planned. They are set to lose revenues if both the multi-team tournaments cannot be held as per the schedule and could run thin financially especially if the COVID-19 situation deteriorates and cricketer is suspended for a longer period.

"We are just trying to save costs wherever we can. There has been loss of revenue for us - the government grant we receive is at risk because the government is spending that on dealing with the pandemic," Stanikzai said. “We lost our clothing partner Tyka. We are not 100% sure Asia Cup will take place and the revenue we will receive from there. If there are problems with the T20 World Cup that will also impact us negatively going forward to next year and beyond."

Afghanistan’s next official cricket assignment is the Asia Cup but the ACB and Zimbabwe Cricket Association have decided to play five T20Is in Zimbabwe although it wasn’t part of Future Tour Programme. Stanikzai added that the board was waiting for the government to resume overseas travelling before taking a call on the Zimbabwe tour.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 12, 2020 01:50 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).