Published: Jun 30, 2013, 01:23 PM (IST)
Edited: Aug 23, 2014, 09:32 PM (IST)
From playing in the bylanes of their refugee camps to rubbing shoulders with the best, Afghanistan cricket has come a long way and their meteoric rise is nothing but a great tale of triumph of human spirit © Getty Images
Against all odds and difficulties, a group of men from Afghanistan are taking the cricketing world by storm. Obtaining Associate status from the ICC is nothing but another proof of their incredible tale of dedication. Nishad Pai Vaidya revisits the heartening journey.
Our story begins somewhere in the mid-1990s. A group of young men from a war-torn country took solace in a British sport in the uncertain atmosphere of their refugee camps in Pakistan. The future was tentative and perhaps even bleak, but these boys were fearless and only wanted to play the sport they love. As their motherland witnessed more bloodshed and a radical change, they kept pursuing their dreams of glory on the world stage. Two decades down the line, the Afghanistan cricket team stand victorious and symbolise hope for a country with an unsure future.
The story can be mistaken for any popular blockbuster where young men triumph against all odds with their simple dedication and sense of purpose. From playing in the bylanes of their refugee camps to rubbing shoulders with the best, Afghanistan cricket has come a long way and their meteoric rise is nothing but a great tale of triumph of human spirit. The International Cricket Council (ICC) recognised that and have granted them Associate status — a move that would be a huge morale-booster for the cricketing fraternity in the country.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) was formed in the refugee camps in 1995. Somehow, cricket permeated the social fabric in that turbulent era as the Taliban approved of the sport while the others were banned. The team played its first match in the early 2000s in tournaments in Pakistan — perhaps a Neil Armstrong would have said, ‘’A small step for an eleven, but a giant leap for a nation.” In the years that followed, they played a few games against sides such as the Marylebourne Cricket Club (MCC) and a few county second elevens. However, they were only noticed when they won the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) T20 Cup in 2007.
From that point onwards, it has been rapid progress and a roadmap that would envy any sporting team. Afghanistan made the ascent from Division Five to Division One within two years and were eying a spot in the 2011 World Cup. They failed to qualify, but had done enough for their reputation to be granted One-Day International (ODI) status. The ICC World T20 2010 saw them compete with India and South Africa and they did put in a spirited effort. The same was evident when they returned to the competition in 2012.
What strikes one the most about Afghanistan is their inherent fearlessness in playing the game. For these players, it is not just a form of expression, but also something that they take very seriously. They are free spirited as their batsmen play their shots and the bowlers eye wickets with each delivery. Take the example of Karim Sadiq, their opening batsman. Prior to the World T20 2010, he famously said, “Dale Steyn would be no problem.” Such a comment coming from a batsman of an average team would have attracted a lot of flak, but Graeme Smith, the South African captain knew what he was up against. With all respect, the usually straight forward Smith said, “I read their opener said he was not scared of facing Dale Steyn and I wouldn’t be either if I grew up in a war zone.”
Each and every player in the Afghanistan team has a story of his own. Hamid Hassan, their most promising fast-bowler has a heartening tale to share. As a child, he moved to a refugee camp in the midst of bombing and violence. He had to hide his love for cricket from his parents who wanted him to study. But, he was undeterred. Having climbed the ladder, his potential was spotted in a game against MCC in Mumbai in 2006 as he was given a flight ticket to England to polish his skills. Up until then, he hadn’t worn spikes and ran in with flat shoes. His life had just taken a turn after years of struggle.
As their country struggled to come to terms with the rapid changes, Hassan and his teammates went on to achieve big things with the power of bat and ball. None of them were overawed by the big stage and were there to prove a point. Mohammad Shahzad, the wicketkeeper-batsman has grown into a popular figure. He is someone who relishes playing his strokes and even imitated his hero Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s famous Helicopter shot during the match against India at the World T20 2012.
Shahzad summed up the whole Afghan spirit in an interview with ESPNcricinfo, “We guys all have the ability to play at bigger stage. We can bowl fast, we can spin, we can bat, and the fitness level of our players is high, thanks to the rough life we spent in the refugee camps.’[sic].’ That is the explanation for their unparalleled spirit and determination. What is cricket? It is only a sport. They have seen much bigger things in life.
As Afghanistan, the nation charts its path for the future, they dervie great pride from their cricketers. The team’s rise won praise from Hillary Clinton, the then Secretary of State of the United States of America. She said, “If we are searching for a model of how to meet tough international challenges with skill, dedication and teamwork, we need only look to the Afghan national cricket team. For those of you who don’t follow cricket, which is most of the Americans, suffice it to say that Afghanistan did not even have a cricket team a decade ago. And last month, the team made it to the World Twenty20 championships featuring the best teams in the world.’’
But, still there are challenges and the road ahead isn’t smooth. Considering the security situation in their country, they have to play their ‘home’ games in foreign territory. Getting to a pedestal is tough, but staying there is a tougher job. Their players may have come all the way, but have the persistence to wade through difficulties. Recently, Mohammad Nabi’s father was kidnapped and such incidents are quite common in their country. Yet, they symbolise hope for a better tomorrow and that someday the country will see a peaceful day.
During the qualification rounds for the World T20 2010, Hassan compared their tale to the famous Hollywood flick Rocky. He told ESPNcricinfo, “I think that there is a similarity in the story of Rocky and the Afghanistan cricket team – we both started at the bottom and gradually made our way up the rankings.’’ However, their story is just beginning and there are greater things that lie ahead for this spirited unit. Rocky won a few boxing bouts here and there, but these men win battles of their own every day.
(Nishad Pai Vaidya is a Correspondent with CricketCountry and anchor for the site’s YouTube Channel. His Twitter handle is @nishad_44)
