NEW DELHI, June 24
New Delhi, June 24: MOMENTS AFTER Afghanistan’s historic 21-run win over Australia in the Super 8 game of the T20 World Cup at Kingstown, a video cropped up on the team’s social media account that conveyed what the conquest meant for the nation that has historically seen many invasions.
The clip had captain Rashid Khan, 25, and Man of the Match Gulbadin Naib, 33, passionately belting out a Pashto verse. There were no subtitles. Maybe, there was no need as this was the team’s two old hands talking directly to the fans back home.
Kandahar-born Delhi University PhD student and cricket fan Nazamudin Asar, after sharing his excitement over his team’s chances of making it to the semifinal from a group that has India and Australia, translated the verse.
“’Roll up your sleeves, come celebrate and dance. Poor people like us rarely get the chance to enjoy as happiness belongs to those who are strong and rich…’
That’s what they were singing, that’s exactly what Afghanistan feels today,” Asar said, before adding a typical self-deprecating Afghan touch. “Everyone is on the streets. Last time this happened was when there was an earthquake.”
In the Afghan city of Khost, there is a man who could have been at the Arnos Vale stadium, but missed out. The team’s assistant coach Raees Ahmadzai couldn’t travel with the team because of a knee surgery. He says he has lost his voice, he was with thousands others on the streets chanting “Afghanistan Zindabad”.
“A couple of days ago we celebrated Eid, and it feels like we are celebrating it again after this win. It is something very special for many reasons,” Ahmadzai tells The Indian Express. “Beating Australia is very special for this nation. They refused to play the series against us. They were very lucky that they got away in the ODI World Cup. We were waiting for this result.”
The two nations have a history. Australia refused to play a bilateral series against Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover of 2021. They were taking a stand against the regime not allowing women to play sports. The tense Afghanistan vs Australia 50-over World Cup game in India last year added fuel to the fire. Festive offer
Ahmadzai recalls the evening in Mumbai when Australia were on the brink of defeat but recovered miraculously. Glenn Maxwell broke Afghan hearts with his unbeaten 201. He chased down 292 from 91/7. At this T20 World Cup too, Maxwell seemed ready for a repeat. He scored 59 from 41 balls and the target of 149 seemed well within his striking range. That was not to be, he would become one of Gulbadin’s four scalps. The part-time batting all-rounder with a bodybuilder physique would out-muscle and out-fox the Aussie with his strength and smartness.
After the game, skipper Rashid was subtle in mentioning Australia’s boycott and related political complexities. “Cricket is the only reason Afghanistan celebrates. And if we keep that source away from us as well, I don’t know what will remain … I don’t know what’s the solution … I don’t know much about politics and I don’t even like it.
If we play (Australia) in a World Cup, why don’t we play in a bilateral series?”
Back in Kosht, Ahmadzai shares the emotional chat he had with his players and the inspirational head coach and former England international Jonathan Trott after the memorable win.
“They all were glad that the boys didn’t panic when he started hitting boundaries. We were calm, we never panic,” he says.
