Afghans hope for cricket glory despite boycott calls
Afghans painted in red, green and black cheered from the sidelines of the Champions Trophy cricket in Lahore and from in front of their televisions in Kabul on Wednesday, brushing aside calls for England to boycott the match.
More than 160 British politicians called for the boycott of the key group match in protest against the Taliban government's restrictions on women's rights in Afghanistan.
However, the stadium in Pakistan's northeast was filled with dancing spectators on Wednesday as the two sides met to determine who would make it through to the semi-finals.
"Those who are trying to bring politics into sports are misguided," said Khaybar Khan, a 24-year-old tailor watching the match from the Afghan capital.
"They are simply doing their jobs. They have raised their voices for women's education and we all believe in the necessity of women doctors, engineers, and education for women."
Female participation in sport has effectively been outlawed since the Taliban returned to power in 2021.
That puts the Afghanistan cricket board at odds with International Cricket Council rules, although the men's team are still allowed to compete.
The England and Wales Cricket Board resisted the demand to boycott the match but said they would not schedule a bilateral series against Afghanistan.
"The petition against the cricket team to boycott them is baseless and unfair, they have stood with their nation many times," said Nafas, another 24-year-old cricket fan in Kabul.
"There are a lot of issues in Afghanistan, our education, freedom, and cricket are the only things remaining for us. Please don't take this from us as well."
Afghanistan's English coach told reporters on Tuesday the players are facing a "tricky situation" and know there are "things that are not correct" in their country.
Star allrounder Rashid Khan, who was expected to play a crucial role in the match, has not shied away from proclaiming his support for women's education despite the high political risk of making such calls.
- Remarkable rise -
Afghans share close ties with their neighbour Pakistan, where millions of refugees and migrants have arrived and made their home over the past several decades.
It was in the refugee camps in northwestern Pakistan that Afghans, fleeing successive wars, first tasted the sport of cricket and they have had remarkable success on the international stage in recent years.
"We are so happy for our team to even make it this far," said 20-year-old Afghan Muhammad Yusaf, who was born in Lahore.
"There are former champions like West Indies and Sri Lanka who couldn't make this tournament but we are here. So they have already made us proud."
Thousands of Afghans in the stands were supported by Pakistanis, rooting for the rising stars.
"Afghan cricket's story is of struggle, hard work, and resilience. Only a few years back, we didn't know about this team," said Muhammad Numan, a 37-year-old Pakistani businessman who came with his family to support the Afghans.
"It's their hard work that has brought them this far and, in a few years, they could lift a trophy."
Murad Watan Pall, 36, who travelled from England to support the Afghans, said the boycott call was a "flawed approach" to pressuring the Taliban government.
"For us, it's everything. That's the only entertainment we have left in our country. We have just one happiness in our country and it's cricket," he said.
"Don't snatch the only entertainment we have."
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