T20 World Cup: Afghanistan’s march to semis is an ode to their courage and perseverance

New Delhi: Upon successfully trapping Mustafizur Rahman lbw, Naveen-ul-Haq enthusiastically sprinted around the field at Arnos Vale Stadium in the wee hours of Tuesday. His teammates, as well as support staff members in the dugout, rushed to join him in celebrating Afghanistan’s unprecedented entry into the T20 World Cup semifinals with an eight-run win against Bangladesh.

Back home, streets from Kabul to Kandahar, Khost to Nangarhar, and Jalalabad to Laghman erupted into joyful celebrations. Teary-eyed cricket-loving fans rushed out into the streets to celebrate the team, which added another glorious chapter to its fantastic rise in international cricket.

“The atmosphere was of very, very big celebrations. It's something very special which has happened and everyone in the country is talking about it,” Raees Ahmadzai, Afghanistan’s assistant coach, told IANS in an exclusive conversation on Wednesday.

“I watched some videos on X, especially from Jalalabad and other parts of the country, where massive crowds came out on the roads amidst very hot weather. Sometimes you cannot control the people in the way they celebrate something special. They were dancing, singing, hugging each other, smiling, laughing and just wanted to celebrate in their own way,” he added.

“Everyone was just shouting, ‘Afghanistan Zindabad, Rashid Zindabad, cricket team Zindabad’. The other day, everyone was just supporting India to beat Australia, as it would make it easy for Afghanistan to qualify for the semi-final. When we beat Australia, it was the moment of the World Cup for us. Now, to qualify for the semi-final, the happiness is at another level,” Ahmadzai said.

Witnessing Afghanistan’s march to the T20 World Cup semifinals made Ahmadzai recall about how cricket became an inseparable part of the country’s culture. Back in 2004, Ahmadzai was a part of the Afghanistan team that finished in sixth place in the Asian Cricket Council Trophy in Malaysia, a tournament featuring 15 teams, including Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bhutan, and Iran.

The lack of facilities didn’t stop them from giving it their all on the field with a winning mindset. “At that time too, we had this mindset of ‘want to win everywhere’ and never thought about facilities. We just had that mindset of ‘Okay, we have come out and let’s do something for the country’.”

“Plus, as players, we are also big lovers of cricket and just wanted to play the game, as there was no other option for us. Now because of that, we have huge talent, and now playing on a big stage, like the IPL or other leagues. So, cricket holds a very special place for everyone in Afghanistan. When Rashid Khan is playing for the country, he’s totally different Rashid, and that means everyone wants to do something very special for Afghanistan,” he adds.

Rashid, Afghanistan’s talismanic captain and leg-spin lynchpin, is one of the most sought-after players in T20 franchise leagues worldwide. In a see-saw clash with Bangladesh, Rashid struck three sixes in making 19 off 10 balls and picked 4/23 with the ball to propel Afghanistan towards the semifinals.

Rashid, the seemingly calm captain, completely transformed into an animated figure - yelling at Noor Ahmad for a misfield, angrily throwing his bat towards Karim Janat when he refused to take a brace, and becoming livid over Gulbadin Naib’s hamstring cramp, which appeared to be a tactic to slow down the match.

“He’s a very simple guy who’s always leading from the front. When the team needed something to take them out of trouble, he’s coming in to lead on that front. In the training sessions, whether it’s fielding or bowling, Rashid is leading by example there.”

“Against Bangladesh, when the team needed someone to stand up on a very difficult wicket, he came, made some crucial runs and took big wickets, and that’s his beauty. The way he is leading the side with a big heart, he’s God’s gift, not only for Afghanistan but also for cricket worldwide,” said Ahmadzai, who hasn’t travelled for the World Cup due to recovery from a knee issue.

Naveen’s initial burst in the power-play set the stage for Rashid & Co to reach the semi-finals while defending 115. Ahmadzai, who played five ODIs and eight T20Is for Afghanistan, shares why he always refers to Naveen as Mr Clever in his social media posts.

“When I mention Mr. Clever, everyone knows that I’m talking about Naveen. He’s a very smart and very clever person. I have never seen such a talented and smart cricketer in my life. I have met many international players, but the way he’s talking, especially in meetings and his knowledge about cricket, and conditions, he’s the Mr. Clever.”

Ahmadzai admires left-arm pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi, who has formed a strong fast-bowling pair with Naveen. “When we went first time to South Africa for the 2020 U19 World Cup, I was the head coach of the team. On seeing Farooqi, I told him, ‘Remember, one day you will represent the country. So, be smart and try to improve day by day.' Now, he’s the leading wicket-taker in this World Cup.”

When quizzed about Gulbadin Naib’s hamstring cramp at slip just before the rain came, Ahmadzai couldn’t help but let out a hearty chuckle. “I spoke with him about this and said that was not right, man. I would just say, he was taking like a few seconds there. But he said ‘I felt some problem there that time’. I said, 'Okay I will speak with you when you would come here'.”

Naib’s incredible recovery from a cramp allowed him to dismiss Tanzim Hasan Sakib, and take Afghanistan one step closer to a historic win. “He’s a very experienced person and needs that kind of conditions to bowl which are present in this World Cup. I was surprised to see that he didn’t bowl in the first few matches.”

“But whenever Rashid has given the ball to him, he always picked wicket, like he that crucial wicket game against Bangladesh. Also, the way he bowled against Australia and the way he did showed he’s indeed Mr. Muscle Boy.”

Naib’s Popeye-styled celebrations mention elicits another chuckle from Ahmadzai. “I remember stopping him from doing this celebration many times. Like, 'don’t do it when you’re taking very simple catches. It’s fine to do it once you get a crucial wicket or take a one-handed catch. Before the game against Bangladesh, I spoke to him and said, ‘You are free to do what you want to do’. His style of celebration has become very special in cricket.”

Ahmadzai recounted what he said to the celebrating Afghanistan team in the dressing room after securing the semifinal spot. “I said to them, ‘I just feel proud of you guys for the way you played on the field and never gave up’. Yes, we didn’t play very well in batting, but never gave up. During this tournament, I have always told them to believe all the time and just try to do their best. Irrespective of whatever happens, keep your head up and just focus on what you can do to your best.”

Afghanistan’s next challenge is facing the undefeated South Africa in the semifinals in Trinidad, with the chance to play the final in Barbados on June 29. “I think it’s a 50-50 game for us now. We never beat South Africa in any format. But again, I’m saying that we can beat South Africa and hope we can beat India in the final.”

“We tied one ODI match with India in Dubai in the 2018 Asia Cup, and we tied a T20I this year (in Bengaluru), where we twice played Super Overs. I was there on both occasions and so, the upcoming games are good opportunities for us. I know for lots of people, it looks very funny. But we can do it on a good day,” adds Ahmadzai.

Ahmadzai concedes that Afghanistan’s facilities are still a long way from meeting international standards. However, they have been fortunate in discovering talented individuals who require little effort to develop their skills. Furthermore, the exposure to various T20 leagues has had a huge impact on the current group of players from Afghanistan.

“If I were to say about cricket in Afghanistan, it’s like going from zero to hero. Like from where we came from and how we started playing cricket to now producing such wonderful cricketers. They have a very good demand at the world stage and all the franchises in various leagues want them to play for their teams.”

Merge the raw talent and desire to spread joy through cricket with the unwavering determination of the Afghan people, who have faced continuous hardships caused by political unrest, economic instability, and natural catastrophes over the past four decades.

What you get is a mentally tough attitude full of perseverance instilled in Rashid & Co, which keeps them in good stead, as they stand on the verge of taking Afghanistan cricket to more incredible achievements in the cricketing world.

“We are brave and mentally strong – like, someone has a family problem and they go back home. But when there have been problems for the last 40 years in your country and still you want to do something for them? That means we have very mentally strong people.”

“Sometimes when players are speaking in Pashto to our people, they just want to give a strong message and to let them know that we just want to make them happy and let’s celebrate something when we have the opportunity.”

“We never think for ourselves. I remember when we started playing cricket, for seven to eight years, we had nothing and were sleeping in the mosque. Mohammad Nabi is the big evidence of this. We were sleeping in the mosque.”

“There was no one to help us, no support, nothing from anyone, no family support. But we never gave up and now we can see what it has become today. It’s a totally different story now. Everyone is talking about Afghanistan cricket now, not only in the country but everywhere in the world,” signed off Ahmadzai.