Latif in Kabul to coach Afghan cricket team

Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif is in war-ravaged Kabul to start his coaching assignment with the Afghanistan cricket team but claims that security is hardly a concern for him.

Latif, a former wicketkeeper-batsman, accepted an offer to become the batting coach of the emerging Afghanistan team and will work with them in Jalalabad before accompanying them on a tour to Scotland.

"I am in Kabul and this coaching assignment is a challenging one for me. I have played lot of cricket and done lot of coaching but this represents a new challenge for me," Latif said.

The former Pakistan skipper said he had no concerns about his safety.

"That is not my concern I am being well looked after and my job is to focus on the coaching assignment," he said.

Kabir Khan, a former Pakistan Test bowler, is the head coach of the Afghanistan team which qualified for the Twenty20 World Cup this year and also has the One-Day International status.

Some of the Afghan players have developed their cricketing skills as refugees in Pakistan.

Latif said he saw a lot of talent in the Afghanistan team and was confident that with some specialised coaching, the team had the capability to move up.

"The players are very keen to do well for their country, they have lot of pride and energy and that is a great sign," Latif said.

The ICC and the Asian Cricket Council have been investing a lot in Afghanistan in the last few years to develop and set up infrastructure in a country that has been hit by conflict for the last two decades.