The Afghan tricolor national flag no longer holds official status in the war-torn country under Taliban rule, but the national cricket team has kept it high on the international stage to the delight of their supporters in Australia.
The youngest member of the global cricket family, Afghanistan plays in Australia during October and November as it challenges the mighty forces of the game in the T20 World Cup.
This is their first trip here since 2015.
With the Afghan team preparing to start their campaign today against England, the southeast suburbs of Melbourne were full of action.
The cities of Dandenong and Casey are home to Australia’s largest Afghan community, and cricket is for many of them a way to connect with the local culture.
Ziauddin Zia, who leads a community band at the Fountain Gate, told ABC that Afghanistan’s participation in the high-profile tournament means a lot to the Afghan diaspora.
“Afghans in Australia and everywhere are very excited,” said Mr. Zia.
“I have booked tickets for all matches in Adelaide, Melbourne and Brisbane, and I will be hosting my brothers and cousins from the United States for the matches.”
wound healing
Zia said the sport is helping to heal recently arrived Afghan refugees who have suffered the stress and trauma of decades of war and the Taliban’s return to power last year.
“All of them have experienced personal pain and some are still coping with the division and separation from their families who are waiting for visas,” he said.
“Cricket keeps them happy and busy.”
In the wake of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and the arrival of the Taliban in Kabul, the Australian government has provided safe haven to thousands of Afghans fearing persecution in their homeland.
Jalal Ahmadzai, a recipient of the Australia Humanitarian Program, looks forward to seeing rising cricket stars from Afghanistan such as Rashid Khan, Rehmanullah Gurbaz and Fazal Haq Farooqi.
Ahmadzai, who is based in the northern Melbourne suburb of Craigieburn, said his entire family was excited to welcome the Afghan team to Australia.
“We have been fortunate to have an exceptional talent in cricket and this brings smiles to the faces of our people when they compete against top teams,” said Ahmadzai, who fled Kabul in August shortly before the city fell to the Taliban.
Since then, the Taliban have banned the national anthem and replaced Afghanistan’s tricolor flag with a new flag featuring a black declaration of faith on a white background.
“When the Afghan national cricket team hoists the Afghan national flag while the national anthem is played on international grounds, it gives us a sense of pride and shows the world that Afghanistan is not just war and suffering,” said Mr. Ahmadzai, adding that talented cricketers from the war-torn country presented a positive image of the country. .
“It’s a pity we are not playing”
Many Afghan cricket fans are happy to be able to see their countrymen playing, due to the fact that Afghanistan no longer has a women’s cricket team.
After the Taliban returned to power, one of the team members was reportedly threatened with death if she continued to play and many fled the country to Canada and Australia.
Since then, the Taliban have given conflicting messages about whether to allow women to play professionally.
A member of the national cricket team now based in Melbourne, who requested that her name be withheld, told ABC that she and her teammates were preparing for a comeback.
“It’s a pity that we are not playing but I am so excited and happy that I can at least watch the matches live on the field and can follow my team,” she said.
Zohal Mirage, who enjoys playing cricket with her father and brother in Melbourne, will also cheer on the Blue Tigers wherever they go during the T20 World Cup.
“I would very much like to see our women’s team as well,” said Ms. Mirage.
Gharsi Ghazal, a psychotherapist in Sydney, said she will travel with three other Afghan women to see Afghanistan play with New Zealand at the MCG.
“Afghan girls who are interested in cricket have a lot more freedom, resources and opportunities in Australia than in Afghanistan to meet and excel in cricket,” she said.
Molina Astana, a board member of AMES Australia who helped resettle some of the cricketers here, said she was impressed by their talent and enthusiasm.
“They are so excited and excited to start playing again,” she said.
Cricket’s rising power?
During the former Taliban rule in the 1990s, Afghan cricket was patronized by refugees in Pakistan.
After following the Afghan team closely since its early days, local commentator and former media director of the Afghan Cricket Board, Ibrahim Momand, told ABC that the Afghans have brought new life and brightness to the game.
“I can’t think of any other team that has such a steady and rapid growth and fan following as Afghanistan has in the past few years in all forms of cricket,” he said.
Since its early days, Afghanistan has steadily risen in fame and ranks by securing full membership in the International Cricket Council in 2017.
Amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, Mr. Momand said people have pinned their hopes on some good news for cricketers.
Players from Afghanistan such as Rashid Khan, Muhammad Nabi and Rehmanullah Ghorbaz are now big names thanks to their participation and performance in many commercial tournaments, including Big Bash.
However, veteran Australian cricket writer and commentator Gideon Haigh said the young Afghan team had a tough job ahead.
“They will struggle to make up the difference,” he said.
“However, they’ve got a few world class players and we know the impact a world class player can have in shorter forms.”
But for the Australian Afghans, it doesn’t matter winning or losing in this early stage for the national cricket team.
“At the end of the day, it is all about gaining experience and taking advantage of the opportunity to play against the big teams,” said Mr. Ahmadzai.
Win or lose, we are proud of the team.
Originally published at Melbourne News Vine
