According to Iraf, after Akhundzada’s visit to Helmand on May 8 and his symbolic inauguration of the Eidgah mosque project in Lashkargah city, the process of transforming one of southern Afghanistan’s largest and most standard cricket grounds into a mosque has officially begun.
Cricket players in Helmand say the decision was made directly after the Taliban leader’s visit to the province. The Helmand Cricket Administration has reportedly instructed all athletes to remove their belongings and equipment from both the stadium and the cricket academy.
Local sources state that the land designated for the mosque is a professionally built cricket ground located in the Safiyan area of Lashkargah, which had officially been under the management of the Afghanistan Cricket Board.
Players say the stadium had hosted domestic cricket competitions at various levels over the past two years and regularly attracted thousands of spectators.
One player reacted to the move by saying:
“Despite all the Taliban’s restrictions, cricket was our only form of entertainment. With this decision, the last hope for sports in Helmand has been destroyed.”
Sources within the Helmand Cricket Administration also confirmed that, under orders from local Taliban authorities, all sports equipment has been removed from the venue and the stadium has been fully transferred to the Directorate of Hajj and Religious Endowments.
Players have also accused the Afghanistan Cricket Board of indifference and silence regarding the issue.
The foundation stone for the stadium had originally been laid during the previous Afghan government in December 2017. The project was intended to be built on 20 jeribs of land with a budget of 34 million Afghanis funded by the Ministry of Counter Narcotics.
The Taliban have not yet issued an official statement regarding the conversion of the sports ground into a mosque.
However, since returning to power, the group has prioritized the construction of hundreds of mosques and religious schools across Afghanistan, with particular emphasis on expanding jihadist schools.
