Orphaned cricket team of Afghanistan aims to regain footing at World Cup

By Eltaf Najafizada and Shruti Srivastava

Afghanistan’s national cricket team is attempting to regain its footing during the men’s World Cup after finding a new home in Dubai, thanks to financial backing from International Cricket Council — the sports governing body.
 

Ever since the Taliban took over Afghanistan two years ago following the chaotic US withdrawal, professional cricket players and administrators fled the country in large numbers, hobbling the country’s international sporting prospects. Then late last year, the Emirates Cricket Board agreed to house the Afghan players, as well as provide logistical and visa support in Dubai over the next five years.

 

Cricket remains Afghanistan’s second-most popular sport and the pariah nation will now face up against India, which financially dominates the sport, on Wednesday. Odds are on the host nation to win, so if Afghanistan is able to pull off a victory — it will go down in history as one of the biggest upsets — and way ahead of the country’s recent triumph against former World Cup champions Sri Lanka. 

While the players declined to comment about the turbulent regime change back home, the team has “become stronger” mostly in spin bowling compared to a decade ago, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, a wicketkeeper and batter on the Afghan team, said in an interview.  The “focus is to improve our batting and only then we’ll win against India or other teams,” he said.

Unpromising Start
 

The team got off to an unpromising start after being beaten in its tournament opening match against Bangladesh. 

“Losing to Bangladesh cannot impact our mindset and goal as a team,” Hashmatullah Shahidi, the team’s captain, said ahead of the India match. 

Afghanistan previously practiced cricket and played home matches around the capital New Delhi, but that arrangement was thrown into disarray after India tightened visa issuance to Afghan nationals after the Taliban retook power.

The team also came under fire in January when the Taliban banned women from playing sports. In response, Human Rights Watch called on the ICC to suspend the country’s membership and Australia canceled a scheduled match against Afghanistan in the United Arab Emirates earlier this year.

The setbacks haven’t deterred the Afghan team, which now ranks ninth in one-day international cricket, up from lowest-placed twelfth in 2015. Some of the players star in the top-tiered Indian Premier League tournament and a few other international leagues, which they say has boosted their performance on the world stage. 

Despite that experience, Wednesday’s contest against India will be “tough,” Shahidi said.