In a novel exercise, the Asian and African cricket bodies have joined hands to hold an annual limited overs cricket feast between the combined teams of the two continents.
As per an agreement reached between the Asian Cricket Council and the African Cricket Association combined teams of the two continents would play three limited overs matches every year beginning with the first series later this year, the ACC Chief Executive Ashraful Haque said over phone.
He said that as per the MoU signed between ACC and ACA, which has already been ratified by the two boards, a new body by the name of Afro-Asian Cricket Co-operation has been created to organise these matches on annual basis with the venue alternating between Asian and Africa.
The first series would be held in Africa later this year and the dates would be finalised depending on the availability of players while the International Cricket Council would be approached to accord official status to the matches, he said.
For the first three years the new body would be headed by ACC chief Jagmohan Dalmiya with Peter Chingoka, chairman of ACA, as the vice chairman.
As per the agreement, which has already been ratified by the boards of ACC and ACA a couple of days ago, 70 per cent of the net profit from the matches would go the hosting continent and 20 per cent to the visiting side while 10 per cent would go to a specially created charity for the promotion of cricket in the two continents, Haque said.
He further said the two boards would constitute their selection committee to pick up the continental sides for the series.
