AUS-AFG Test in Hobart under threat as Tasmania Premier seeks Hazara verdict on its hosting

Premier or functional Head of State of Tasmania, Peter Gutwein has threatened that he might request Cricket Australia to shift the Australia -Afghanistan Test from Hobart. The Test was scheduled to start the Australian Summer on November 27. 

However, with the Taliban take over of Afghanistan, a large Hazara community living in Hobart might hold a grip over whether the Test is played at skipper Tim Paine’s home ground or not. The Tasmanian Premier, apart from worrying about the Hazara outrage, was also conscious of Afghanistan Government’s commitment towards women sports in the country

"I have very real concerns as to whether or not the state should hold that match without some very clear commitments being made around it, in terms of the future of women's sport," Gutwein was quoted as saying by AAP news agency. 

On his plans of seeking the view of the Hazaras in Hobart, the Premier said, "What I intend to do, in terms of that match going ahead, is reach out to the Hazara community later this week and have a chat with the local communities here to get a sense as to their view.”

"We'll be seeking to engage with the Australian Cricket Board (Cricket Australia) and I want to get the feedback from our local community as well,” Gutwein, who assumed office in January 2020 added. 

Hazaras were the most persecuted by the Taliban during their 1996-2001 rule and many of them fled to Australia. Now, with a large minority population, they do hold sway over matters concerning them and their nation of birth. 

Keeping all this in mind, Gutwein said, "If our local community felt that it would be sensible and perhaps confidence building to allow that match to go ahead then obviously that's a different matter. But I think we need to get some advice."

The Afghanistan Cricket Board and Cricket Australia committed to playing the Test in 2020 itself but it was delayed due to a global pandemic.