Saturday, February 11, 2012

Cricket in Afghanistan

The war-torn country has made rapid strides in international cricket. On February 10, it played Pakistan in an ODI for the first time.

  
Kabul, AFGHANISTAN: Afghan cricketers take part in a match on a patch of ground in front of a destroyed helicopter in Kabul, 17 March 2006. Cricket is popular among Afghans who have lived in Pakistan and recently returned to their country after decades of war.


 Nowroz Mangal of Afghanistan (L) and M S Dhoni of India take part in the coin toss before the ICC World Twenty20 Group A match between India and Afghanistan played at the Beausejour Cricket Ground on May 1, 2010 in Gros Islet, Saint Lucia.

 Nowroz Mangal (R) and Asghar Salakhail of Afghanistan leave the field after beating Netherlands during the ICC World Cricket League Division One match between Netherlands and Afghanistan at the VCC Voorburg on July 7, 2010 in Voorburg, Netherlands.
 A poster promoting the ICC Intercontinental Cup clash between Scotland and Afghanistan, hangs on a gate in Ayr, Scotland on August 12, 2010.
 The Afghanistan cricket team
 Silver medallist cricket team of Afghanistan attend the medal ceremony of the cricket finals at the 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou on November 26, 2010. Bangladesh won the gold medal, Afghanistan got the silver and Pakistan settled for the bronze.
 In this photograph taken on January 4, 2011, a member of Afghanistan's first national women's cricket team take part in a training session in Kabul. The team, many of whom play in headscarves, competed against other female sides from across Asia in a Twenty20 tournament in Kuwait in February.
 In this photograph taken on January 4, 2011, members of Afghanistan's first national women's cricket team take part in a training session in Kabul. The team, many of whom play in headscarves, competed against other female sides from across Asia in a Twenty20 tournament in Kuwait in February.
 In this picture taken on January 26, 2011 Afghanistan's Under-19 cricket team players pose with their coaches Taj Malik (down 3R) and Asadullah Khan (C/L down) for a group photo in Karachi. Afghanistan's national coach Rashid Latif said the future of cricket in the war-torn country is bright, citing progress shown by their Under-19 team on their tour of Pakistan.
 Afghanistan pacer Shahpur Zadran delivers a ball against Hong Kong batsman Aizaz Khan during the men's cricket quarterfinal match at the 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou on November 24, 2010. Afghanistan won against Hong Kong by 7 wickets.
 Afghan national cricket player Karim Sadiq Khan sprays pads before a training session at a local cricket stadium in Islamabad on May 24, 2011. Afghanistan cricket team flew to Islamabad to play three one-day matches against the hosts' second side, ending Pakistan's two-year pariah status as an international host. Afghanistan are the first foreign squad to tour Pakistan since militants attacked the Sri Lankan team in March 2009, killing eight people and wounding seven Sri Lankan players and their assistant coach.
 Afghan cricket players celebrate their team's win during a local league game July 27, 2007 in Kabul, Afghanistan. After the fall of the Taliban when the refugees returned from camps in Pakistan they came back having learned a new sport, Cricket. There are now leagues spread across the country playing in dusty fields. For the average Afghan team the equipment is cheap but the uniforms are not affordable so they play in sandals and their traditional shawal kamiz.
 Afghanistan and Pakistan 'A' cricketers bat during training session under a banner (long live Pak-Afghan friendship) at a local cricket stadium in Islamabad on May 24, 2011.
 Afghan cricket fans cheer for their team playing against Pakistan 'A' during the One-Day match between Pakistan 'A' and Afghanistan at a local ground in Islamabad on May 25, 2011. Batting first, Afghanistan scored 152-runs at the end of their innings.
 Afghan wicketkeeper Moahmmad Shahzad dives to caught the ball during the One-Day match between Pakistan 'A' and Afghanistan at Diamond Cricket ground in Islamabad on May 25, 2011. A fighting Afghanistan lost to Pakistan's second side by five wickets in their first confrontation with officials hoping a three-match series can foster more foreign tours.
 Michni Checkpost, PAKISTAN: The Pakistan-Afghanistan border is reflected in the sunglasses of Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar during a visit to Michni Checkpost close to the Pak-Afghan border some 50km north of Peshawar,04 February 2006.
 An Afghan cricket player bowls during a local league game July 27, 2007 in Kabul, Afghanistan. After the fall of the Taliban when the refugees returned from camps in Pakistan they came back having learned a new sport, Cricket. There are now leagues spread across the country playing in dusty fields. For the average Afghan team the equipment is cheap but the uniforms are not affordable so they play in sandals and their traditional shawal kamiz.
 An Afghan cricket player hits the ball during a local league game July 27, 2007 Kabul, Afghanistan. After the fall of the Taliban when the refugees returned from camps in Pakistan they came back having learned a new sport, Cricket. There are now leagues spread across the country playing in dusty fields. For the average Afghan team the equipment is cheap but the uniforms are not afforable so they play in sandals and their traditional shawal kamis.
 An Afghan boy plays cricket on the grounds in front of the stadium in Kabul on February 27, 2008. Cricket is popular among Afghans who have lived in Pakistan and recently returned to their country after decades of war.
 Afghan cricketers take part in a game in front of The Kabul Stadium in Kabul on May 1, 2008. Cricket is popular among Afghans who have lived in Pakistan and recently returned to their country after decades of war. The national team will play eleven others in the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cricket League Division 5 from May 23-31, on the island of Jersey.
 Afghan cricket fans waving national flags welcome their national players as they arrive at Kabul International airport on February 25, 2010. Afghanistan capped their fairytale qualification for the World Twenty20 cricket finals by beating Ireland in the final match of the qualifying tournament on February 13. The Afghans had already secured a place in the April 30-May 16 showpiece in the West Indies by beating hosts United Arab Emirates by four wickets and they signed off in style with a comfortable victory over Ireland.
 A cricker team member of a disabled Afghan cricket team, mainly made up of landmine victims, prays before playing against international sides composed of diplomatic staff in Kabul on April 3, 2010. The players participated in a tournament designed to raise awareness of the threat still posed by landmines and unexploded ordnance in Afghanistan ahead of International Day for Mines Awareness on Sunday.
An Afghan cricketer bats in the nets during a practice session in Kabul on April 18, 2010. Afghanistan's debut in cricket's Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies is the war-torn country's biggest achievement yet in its short, but remarkable, history in the international game. But whether they win or lose, their mere presence in the sport's short-format showpiece has a significance far beyond the boundaries of St Lucia's Beaysejour Stadium, where they faced former champions India on May 1.

6 comments:

  1. I have gone through your blog. The pictures are amazing. Now you will get all your latest cricket news on www.myt20cricket.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. Pakistani have soft corner for Afghanistan but the Afghaniz abuse Pakistan in their individual as well as in public meeting

    ReplyDelete
  3. Heya¡­my very first comment on your site. ,I have been reading your blog for a while and thought I would completely pop in and drop a friendly note. . It is great stuff indeed. I also wanted to ask..is there a way to subscribe to your site via email?


    Seo Chennai

    ReplyDelete
  4. I have just visited this awesome blog and I have to say it realy encourages visitors to buy Cricket Sunglasses in order to feel real fun. Thanks for opportunity to say my opinion!. awesome blog!
    Cricket Sunglasses

    ReplyDelete
  5. those are amazing photos and I bet it is really difficult to play cricket in Afghanistan and I bet it would be even more difficult to contact some pay per head services there

    ReplyDelete