Sports
T20 World Cup: Afghanistan’s march to semis is an ode to their courage and perseverance
New Delhi, June 26 (IANS) 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.
–IANS
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Bengaluru, Aug 22 (IANS) Shivamogga Lions’ woes continued as they suffered a 28-run defeat to the Mysore Warriors in the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Thursday.
Mysore Warriors delivered a well-rounded performance, anchored by Karun Nair’s (45) swift knock, supported by a few other good contributions in the middle order, and highlighted by late-innings fireworks from J Suchith (22*) and Manoj Bhandage (23).
On the bowling front, Vidyadhar Patil (3/29) and Karthik CA (3/31) played crucial roles in restricting the Shivamogga Lions. Sharath HS’ (4/29) lethal spell with the ball and valiant efforts from Abhinav Manohar (46) and Nihal Ullal (46) with the bat couldn’t turn the tide in Shivamogga’s favour.
Chasing 180, Shivamogga Lions got off to a disastrous start, with Vidyadhar Patil’s lethal first over leading to the dismissals of Mohith Bangalore (2) and Dheeraj Mohan (0) in consecutive deliveries. Skipper Nihal Ullal (46) managed to crack a few early boundaries, but Hardik Raj (17) was also removed by Krishnappa Gowtham, leaving the Lions reeling at 41/3 by the end of the powerplay.
K Gowtham then engineered the run out of Rohan Naveen (11), further denting the chase. The in-form Abhinav Manohar (Impact Player) joined Ullal, and the duo breathed life into the innings, putting together a 70-run partnership in just 43 balls.
However, Ullal fell short of his first half-century of the season, leaving the Shivamogga Lions at 123/5 in 15.1 overs. Manohar also narrowly missed his milestone, holing out to K Gowtham off Karthik CA. Manohar’s 26-ball knock included four sixes and three fours, adding valuable runs to the total.
Karthik CA struck again two deliveries later, dismissing Shivraj S and leaving the Lions in deep trouble. With 47 runs needed from the final 18 balls, Ashok D tried to keep the chase alive by smashing a six and a four off Vidyadhar Patil, but perished in the same over, effectively ending Shivamogga’s prospects. Shivamogga Lions finished at 151/9 in 20 overs, enduring their sixth consecutive loss.
Batting first, Mysore Warriors faced an early challenge as Sharath HS unleashed a menacing spell. He struck in the powerplay, dismissing Karthik SU (8), and then returned in the seventh over to remove CA Karthik (30), who smashed three sixes in a 34-run stand with Karun Nair (45) and Harshil Dharmani (0).
Nair continued in fine touch and peppered the boundary with six fours and two sixes during his 23-ball stay before falling to Ashok D in the 11th over.
Kishan Bedare (17) steered the innings, forming a 28-run partnership with Nair and adding another 29 runs with Sumit Kumar (28) before being caught and bowled by Bharath Dhuri, leaving the Warriors at 116/5 in 16.1 overs. The depth of Mysore’s batting lineup came to the fore as Manoj Bhandage and J Suchith launched a late assault.
Vasuki Koushik, tasked with the 18th over, began with a six and a four from Sumit Kumar. Bhandage then took charge, hammering three consecutive sixes off Koushik in the same over before falling as Sharath’s fourth wicket in the 19th ending a blistering 23-run cameo off just seven balls. J Suchith, carried on the momentum, smashing two sixes and a four in an 8-ball flurry, pushing the Mysore Warriors to a competitive 179/7 in their 20 overs.
Brief scores: Mysore Warriors 179 for 7 in 20 overs (Karthik CA 30, Karun Nair 45, Sumit Kumar 28; Sharath HS 4-29) beat Shivamogga Lions 151/9 in 20 overs (Nihal Ullal 46, Abhinav Manohar 46 runs; Vidyadhar Patil 3-29, Karthik CA 3-31) by 28 runs.
–IANS
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Castle Rock (Colorado), Aug 22 (IANS) Indian Americans Sahith Theegala and Akshay Bhatia who failed to make it to the Top-10 last week at the St Jude Championships, the first of the three Play-offs events, will be looking for a better showing as they move towards the finale at the Tour Championships after that.
Last week Hideki Matsuyama, after leading by five at one time, had to birdie the last two holes to win the St Jude Championships. He became the first Asian to win a Play-off event and it was his 10th PGA Tour win, the highest from the continent.
Last week Bhatia was T-12, Rai was T-16 and Theegala was way behind in T-46, but all three have entered the second of the three Play-offs events.
World No, 2 Xander Schauffele, a two-time Major winner in 2024, was tied second last week with Viktor Hovland, while World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler was fourth last week, though World No. 3 Rory McIlroy had a poor week in T-68 place.
Among Asians Korea’s Si Woo Kim has all to play for at the BMW Championship, the second of three FedExCup Playoffs events, in Colorado this week, with two big goals providing the drive for him to step up his game.
The four-time PGA TOUR winner tees up at Castle Pines Golf Club with the intention of breaking into the top-30 of the FedExCup points list and qualify for the Playoffs Finale, the TOUR Championship next week. Kim is presently ranked 44th after last week’s FedEx St. Jude Championship.
A strong week is also required for Kim to keep alive his hopes of earning a spot in the International Team to face the U.S. Team in the Presidents Cup in Royal Montreal next month. Currently 14th on the team roster, the top-6 after this week’s BMW Championship will secure automatic spots, with captain Mike Weir naming six more picks after the TOUR Championship.
Compatriots Sungjae Im and Byeong Hun An, who are 10th and 15th respectively on the FedExCup rankings, are virtually assured of teeing up at the TOUR Championship, which will use a staggered-scoring format based on positions after this week.
Irrespective of how his week plays out, Kim is pleased to secure his top-50 status, which guarantees starts in all eight Signature tournaments next season.
–IANS
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New Delhi, Aug 22 (IANS) The packed schedule of men’s county cricket in 2025 will remain largely unchanged, despite concerns raised by the majority of players over the impact on their physical well-being.
According to a survey conducted by the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) earlier this season, more than 80 per cent of players expressed fears that the current schedule is too demanding and poses risks to their health.
However, despite these concerns, the 2025 schedule is set to continue as usual. Each county will still compete in a minimum of 14 County Championship matches, eight Metro Bank Cup fixtures, and 14 Vitality T20 Blast games. The changes for next season will be largely cosmetic, offering little relief for players concerned about the gruelling calendar.
The PCA has been advocating for adjustments that would spread out the T20 fixtures across the week, aiming to reduce tight turnarounds and introduce more consistent three-day breaks between Championship games.
“There’s definitely room for improvement in 2025 compared to 2024,” said Daryl Mitchell, the PCA’s interim chief executive, in an interview with ESPNcricinfo. “The schedule can definitely be managed better. Certainly, the Blast was very much looked at through a commercial lens, trying to squeeze as many games as possible into Thursday, Friday, and Sunday. Utilizing the majority of the week is probably the way forward, trying to spread them out to give that time for recovery, travel, and preparation.”
The T20 Blast, in particular, has been the main point of debate when it comes to scheduling. The timing of the knockout stages has been a significant concern. In 2023, these stages were held immediately after the group matches in July, allowing counties to retain their overseas players. This year, however, the knockout stages will be pushed to September, giving clubs an extended six-week window to market and sell tickets for home quarter-finals.
While these adjustments offer slight improvements, the overall schedule remains packed, leaving many players apprehensive about how much more they can push themselves physically in the long term. Despite the calls for change, it appears that any significant reduction in the number of fixtures is unlikely in the future, with commercial considerations still driving much of the decision-making process around county cricket.
–IANS
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New Delhi, Aug 22 (IANS) After ending his T20I career with an elusive T20 World Cup title in Barbados, captain Rohit Sharma revealed that it was his dream to transform the team without thinking too much about the results.
Rohit-led Indian team ended the decade-long ICC title drought after beating South Africa in the final of the T20 World Cup 2024 to lift their second title in the format. In 2023, the Men in Blue failed to win the World Test Championship and 2023 ODI World Cup under Rohit’s leadership after losing to Australia in the finals.
The swashbuckling opening batter also credited the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah, former head coach Rahul Dravid and chief selector Ajit Agarkar for their support in transforming the team and creating a fearless culture in the squad.
“It was my dream to transform this team and not worry too much about stats and results and also to make sure that we create an environment where people can go out and play freely, without thinking too much. I got a lot of help from my three pillars Jay Shah, Rahul Dravid and chairman of selector Ajit Agarkar. That was critical for me to do what I did. Obviously, not to forget players who came in at different points in time and helped the team to achieve what we have achieved today,” Rohit said in a video posted by BCCI on X.
On Wednesday, Rohit was awarded ‘Men’s International Cricketer of the Year’ while Dravid was accorded the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ at Ceat Cricket Rating Awards 2023-24 in Mumbai. India’s batting stalwart Virat Kohli was named the ‘Men’s ODI Batter of the Year’ while on the bowling front, Mohammed Shami was awarded the ‘ODI Bowler of the Year’.
The 37-year-old batter finished as the second-highest run-getter in the T20 World Cup with 257 runs including three half-centuries and at a strike rate of 156.70. He played a major role in providing solid starts for the team on the slow pitches of the USA and the West Indies.
After lifting the title, Rohit joined Kohli to announce his retirement from the T20I. With 4,231 runs, Rohit is the leading run-getter in the format behind his teammate Kohli (4188 runs). Both batters will continue to play the other formats of the game. The duo last featured for India in the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka earlier this month.
–IANS
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Gotemba (Japan), Aug 22 (IANS) A year after being the youngest ever to make the cut at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, Kartik Singh, now 14 years of age, is the highest ranked among the four Indians set to take part in the 15th AAC to be held in Japan.
As of date Kartik is the highest ranked Indian at 199 while the other three players to have received the invitation for this prestigious event are Krishnav Nikhil Chopra and Vedant Sirohi, both past participants in the event and Rakshit Dahiya will be in the four-player team.
Kartik Singh has also been named to the 2024 Junior Presidents Cup team. A regular winner in junior and amateur events, Kartik will spearhead the Indian challenge.
Apart from India’s Kartik Singh, there are seven others named to the 2024 Junior Presidents Cup International Team. They are Joshua Bai, Warut Boonrod, Xihuan Chang, Rayhan Latief, Khanh Hung Le, Thangwin Lee, Anh Minh Ngyuyen,
As many as 113 players have been confirmed for the Championship, which will be held October 3-6, 2024, at Taiheiyo Club Gotemba in Gotemba, Japan. A full list of confirmed players can be found. The field will be 120 with a few more names to be added by the Organisers.
India’s best ever placing has been second place by Rayhan Thomas, who was runner-up in Sentosa, Singapore in 2018. The Dubai-based Indian Rayhan has since turned professional, and last week won his first pro title on India’s Professional Tour of India Tour.
Krishnav, who plays college golf in the US, is the son of former India cricketer turned commentator, Nikhil Chopraa, who often takes the role of a caddie for his son.
Created in 2009, the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship was established by the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC), The R&A and the Masters Tournament to further develop amateur golf in the Asia-Pacific region.
The champion will receive an invitation to compete in the 2025 Masters Tournament and The 153rd Open, while the runner(s)-up will gain a place in Final Qualifying for The Open.
The confirmed list which has players from 38 APGC member organizations is highlighted by defending champion Jasper Stubbs of Australia and four players representing China inside the top 100 of the World Amateur Golf Ranking: Wenyi Ding (No. 4), Xihuan Chang (No. 36), Xiangyun Bai (No. 61) and Paul Chang (No. 97).
Ding finished runner-up to Stubbs in the 2023 Asia-Pacific Amateur while Xihuan Chang reached the semi-finals of the U.S. Junior Amateur in July.
Other top-100 participants include Vietnam’s Anh Minh Nguyen (No. 68) and Japan’s Rintaro Nakano (No. 78).
Notable past competitors include 2021 Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama, a two-time winner of the Asia-Pacific Amateur, and 2022 Open champion Cameron Smith. Over the Championship’s 14-year history, the Championship has served as a springboard to some of the world’s top players, including Matsuyama, Smith, Cameron Davis, Ryan Fox, Si Woo Kim, Satoshi Kodaira, Kyoung-Hoon Lee, Min Woo Lee, Keita Nakajima and C.T. Pan. Collectively, alumni of the Asia-Pacific Amateur have gone on to win 27 tournaments on the PGA Tour to date and more than 130 across the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour.
As the host nation, Japan will lead the list of up to 43 APGC member nations represented with 10 players in this year’s field. A player from Japan has won four of the 14 editions of the Championship (Matsuyama/2010, 2011; Takumi Kanaya/2018; Nakajima/2021).
–IANS
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