Mad about cricket

Afghanistan’s cricket fans line up ahead of a match of the Shpageeza Cricket League T20 tournament at the Kabul International Cricket ground; fans cheer during a match between Kabul Eagles and Band-e-Amir Dragons. Thousands of cricket-mad fans have been travelling across the war-torn country to watch the domestic T20 competition that ends Friday.

The fifth edition of the tournament has attracted big-name Afghan and foreign players, coaches and commentators, bringing much-needed cheer to a country worn down by grinding conflict. The deadly violence almost reached the cricket ground on the third day of the tournament when a suicide bomber blew himself up at a police checkpoint near the stadium where hundreds of spectators were watching a game inside. Three people were killed including a policeman. AFP