Asghar Stanikzai reacts to demands of an Indian citizenship for Rashid Khan

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has given a lot of players unbelievable fame among the Indian fans. Foreign players like AB de Villiers, Chris Gayle and David Warner and others enjoy an unbelievable following in India. Due to their allegiance in the IPL, fans consider them their own. Something similar happened with Rashid Khan this season, the way he played his cricket and the impact he had on the matches earned him appreciation around the country.

It went to the extent that fans asked the External Affairs Minister of India to give him a citizenship on Twitter. Rashid proclaimed himself as the second most popular Afghan citizen after the president of the country Ashraf Ghani. The talks escalated so much that president Ghani had to clarify Rashid will always be an Afghan national. The Afghanistan team is in India at the moment to play the historic Test in Bangalore.

Just a joke

Ahead of the match skipper Asghar Stanikzai also expressed his views on the demand raised by Indians fans to make Rashid an Indian citizen. He said that any individual who loves his own nation will not accept citizenship of a foreign country. Stanikzai praised the friendship both the nations share and tucked the question away terming it just a joke.

“I think whoever loves his country, will not take the nationality of any other country. India is our best friend, and there is no doubt about it. Our friendship with India has been great and if you see our home ground is India too. I think this nationality thing was just a joke, and nobody takes it seriously,” he was quoted as saying by DNA.

Country first

The skipper emphasised an important point stating that all Rashid is today is because of Afghanistan and it is not the other way round.

“Afghanistan has made Rashid Khan. Rashid Khan has not made Afghanistan. Afghanistan hai to Rashid hai, Afghanistan nahi toh Rashid kuch nahi hai.  Main point, is country first, people come later whether they are big or small. Country is the identity of the player. Rashid Khan got identity through Afghanistan. I think, nobody will do anything like this (laughs),” Stanikzai added.

Afghanistan’s first ever Test match gets underway tomorrow at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore.

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