Afghanistan players survived on packets of biscuits in refugee camps

If there has been a team that has made giant strides in world cricket, then it has been the Afghanistan team. They took only four years after being inducted into the associate nations to claim the Test status. The story of their rise in world cricket has been nothing short of a fairy tale. The fans are absolutely loving it and so are the players. The likes of Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, and Asghar Stanikzai have started to carve a niche of their own at the highest levels.

But things have not been very easy for the Afghanistani cricketers. They recently played at the iconic ground of Lord’s in a match against MCC. Albeit the match yielded no result, it signified things of greater value. The rise of Aghanistan cricket from dusty terrains in the refugee camps to the Mecca of cricket has been a success story. As per the recent quotes in sport24.co.za, some members associated with the side since the early days recalled how things started for the young Afghanistan cricketers.

Many Afghans sought refuge in Peshawar, Pakistan close to 4 decade ago. It was in these camps where they were introduced to the game of cricket. “We learned cricket here and we took this cricket with us to Afghanistan, and now Afghanistan has a team which plays on a world level and the entire world has recognized it,” 35-year-old Abdul Wahid, a refuge of Kunar province quoted.

Team of chickens

Another official who runs an academy in Pakistan remarked that the Afghanis supplied chicken in Peshawar and made money out of it. They loved their sport and often showed great passion while playing cricket.

“They used to work as laborers until the afternoon and were later playing cricket here… The team of Afghan players was named the ‘Team of Chickens’ as many were trying to survive by supplying poultry in Peshawar. They had extreme eagerness – more than our players – and that was the reason for their success,” Faridullah Shah, a coach with the Pakistan Cricket Board quoted.

Surviving on biscuits

A cricket selector in Pakistan recalled how a renowned player, the name which he chose not to disclose, survived on a packet of biscuits. They had to borrow money to fulfill their basic necessities as we. But the enthusiasm they showed during the game was always worth commending.

“Afghans are quick learners – if you pinpoint a mistake, he understands … then he will work hard on that. I will not mention his name but one Afghan national player told me that he had to borrow money to reach here… and then he could only afford a 10-rupee packet of biscuits a day on which to survive,” Islamia Cricket Academy selector Qazi Shafiq quoted.

Taliban connection with cricket

The Islamist group Taliban has been ruling parts of Afghanistan for quite some time now. They often believe that sports is a distraction. However, one of the commanders of the group noted that they have started following the game of cricket very closely now.

“Now, not only do they listen to cricket on radio, but they even play it when they have spare time,” a commander quoted.