Afghanistan’s two best players, fast bowler Hamid Hassan and all-rounder Mohammad Nabi will feature for the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) when they face Pakistan in a one-off Twenty20 match on 27th June at Lord’s.
MCC has had a strong connection with Afghanistan cricket ever since a team led by Mike Gatting lost to Afghanistan in Mumbai. From that match, Hamid Hassan and Mohammad Nabi were chosen to be part of the MCC young cricketers staff in 2007. Hassan has already played at the world-famous Lord’s ground – widely called the ‘home of cricket’ – when he represented the MCC against a Europe XI that summer.
Ex India captain Sourav Ganguly will captain the side that includes West Indian legend Brian Lara, the former Australia all-rounder Ian Harvey and Sri Lanka great Chaminda Vaas
The game is a pre-cursor to Pakistan’s tour of England.
MCC team to play Pakistan: Sourav Ganguly (captain), Aiden Blizzard, Brian Lara, Ian Harvey, Mohammad Nabi, Tyron Henderson, Chris Harris, John Simpson (wicket-keeper), Glenn Querl, Chaminda Vaas, Hamid Hassan
Who are the MCC?
Marylebone Cricket Club was founded in 1787 as a private members’ club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord’s Cricket Ground near St John’s Wood in north London. MCC was formerly the governing body of cricket in England and across the world. As it is doing for this MCC v Pakistan match, it occasionally raises its own teams to represent the MCC.
Great to see Hassan and Nabi playing for MCC. The team also looks great with Lara, Dada, Blizzard, Harvey, Harris Vaas etc. also included. Would also be interesting to see Dada leading the team. Hope he leads like he did when he led India from the front and also hope he does not lead the team like he captains KKR
It would surely be a very interesting match. The only negative might be that the MCC team looks a bit short on bowlers. Only Hassan and Vaas looks to be the two formidable bowlers. But then there is the legend Lara in the batting. So, would be a difficult team to beat.