Lalchand Rajput: Not willing to risk my life by staying in Kabul

Lalchand Rajput said that he was not willing to risk his life by staying in Kabul, where there are security concerns in the war-torn country.

With news emerging a few days back that Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) would not be renewing the contract of the head coach Lalchand Rajput, he said that he was not willing to risk his life by staying in the nation’s capital, Kabul, where there are security concerns. Rajput’s fear is legitimate as Kabul had recently suffered a terror attack, following a blast in the diplomatic quarter near the German Embassy, which left around 90 people dead and over 400 people were injured. Afghanistan not to extend Lalchand Rajput’s contract as coach

“The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) will not extend Head Coach Lalchand Rajput’s contract which is due to expire at the end of August this year. ACB would like to thank Mr. Rajput for his satisfactory performance during his time as Afghanistan’s Head Coach. ACB is currently in the process of recruiting a new coach for the National Cricket Team,” said ACB in a press release. Rajput, speaking to Wisden India, said, “They [ACB] wanted me to come to Kabul,” Rajput told Wisden India. “This is something I had told them earlier also – I cannot stay there, with the current security threats in the region. We have done so well and even got Test status. I was told that people are now asking why the head coach was not in Kabul, and that I should be there.” Afghanistan to make Test debut at Sharjah Cricket Stadium

“I told them that’s out of question, and that they can look for someone else. This was actually the only reason to part ways. They have got the National Cricket Academy in Kabul, so I told them it’s better to hire someone, maybe a local coach, who can stay there and look after the local boys. They want someone to look after their domestic players and eventually pick some of the boys [for the national team]. I am not willing to risk my life for this, that’s the only reason why I will not be continuing with the role,” he concluded.

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