St Vincent: OMG! This is Afghanistan! Gulbadan, Naib, Gurbaaz, Noor, Naveen – and many more of these becoming neighbours of a tottering Pakistan in cricket, are writing golden chapters in the history of cricket – defeating the mighty Australians in the Super 8 round of the T20 World Cup at St Vincent on Saturday night.
Please note. Gulbadin stands for intent; Naib for authority, Naveen for new, Noor for light and Rashid for having true faith – all of which traits decked up the unforgettable show by Afghanistan in this scintillating contest.
It was a 21-run victory over the eternal champions of summit tournaments, but the moment was much bigger than just a win. Irrespective of which team you are following, everyone gave a standing ovation to the humble performers who played with their hearts against an impossible-to-surmount opposition.
The victory is crucial in many ways. Immediately, it opens up the Group to all kinds of possibilities, including the eviction of Australia from the tournament if India defeats the men from down under tomorrow. If Afghanistan defeats Bangladesh, they will play their first historic semi-final and the other way round if Bangladesh defeats Afghanistan by a big margin.
That’s the immediate impact. The long term will be heartening for ICC’s sustained expansion programme to extend the scope of the game from Commonwealth limitations and make it compete with global sports like football.
Afghanistan has risen through the ranks of being an associate team to surging into a top slot in the competition which warms up hearts across boundaries in more ways than one. But for now, it is their moment and the moment of David breaching the Goliath circle.
Epithets that you usually hate to use for the mighty Aussies – brilliant, marauding, comprehensive and solid fighters, became the well-earned adjectives decorating the disarming Afghan arm and bat. The Afghans bowled, fielded and batted like there was no tomorrow and like they were the real Aussies while the originals went on performance leave.
Gulbadin’s naib 4-for, Naveen scalping the Head for a duck not just for Travis but for Australia at that point, the four impossible catches by their fielders diving for life, the scintillating team show, the infectious passion, the constant up-talks – Afghanistan have won the hearts of everyone.
They beat Australia for the first time in their cricketing journey, that too on a low score of 148 runs put up by their batters who failed to follow the lead given by Gurbaaz’s scintillating opening show which was a milestone in its own right – this was the first time that the Aussies were unable to take a wicket in 13 overs of a T20 match.
With such a comprehensive and lionising show put up by Rashid Khan’s Afghanistan, it would be a tad callous to call them underdogs anymore. They are emerging and they need to be taken seriously, respected for their unfailing passion, dogged effort and self-belief, applauded for their spirit and serenaded for bringing cricketing sunshine to a nation that has borne the brunt of strife, occupation, exploitation and plunder by foreign powers for decades.
It is time they had some healthy moments and Rashid Khan, and his band of warriors are warring to give those few and far between ones of achievement and positivity to a rugged mountain country whose fierce pride has taken many a beating in the world order.
Over to the happy Kabuliwallahs of happy tidings in world cricket.
Read More
- Australia vs Afghanistan | 'It's Not an Upset': Former Cricketers & Pandits Reacts Following Afghan's Historic Win over Aussies
- Australia vs Afghanistan: Rashid Khan's Men Bury Demons of 2023, Register Historic First Win over Australia
