The Meaning Of Cricket For Afghans

It is a sad reality that, nowadays, Afghanistan is mainly known for war, destruction and terrorism. However, there are also some positive prospects, of course. 

One of them is cricket. A few years ago, nobody associated the sport with Afghanistan. But today, the country is one of the world's leading cricket nations, among countries like England, India or Pakistan.

Afghan cricket players like Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi or Shapoor Zadran are considered superstars. 19-year-old Khan, for example, is a rising star, not just in Afghanistan, but in international cricket in general. 

Many Afghan cricket players learnt the game as kids when they lived in Pakistani refugee camps. But Afghanistan's new cricket generation is playing cricket everywhere, inside and outside the country.

“Now you see a lot of kids playing the game. Packed stadiums in domestic games have become a common sight. You know we suffered a lot because of the war. But now cricket has played a part in changing the country's fortunes. It is giving people lot of happiness and pride," said Lutfullah Stanikzai, head of Afghanistan's Cricket Board's media and marketing units. 

For many Afghans, cricket is not just a reason to come together and support the team. It's also proof that not all things in Afghanistan went bad, and that war and bloodshed could be overcome with sports.