Afghanistan’s T20I captain, Rashid Khan, expressed his joy at getting the chance to play in front of his home crowd — a rare occasion in his career.
Last month, Rashid enjoyed 12 days of cricket in Kabul, taking part in the Shpageeza Cricket League at the Alokozay Stadium. Despite playing 216 matches for his country across formats, the T20 globetrotter had never played a single game on home soil before this.
“We hardly play any games at home, so to go there and see the happiness on their faces is great. It’s massive for the young generation to see their players on the ground. They always watch on TV,” he told The Times.
The wily leg-spinner said the support from fans gives him the energy to push harder and bring them joy.
“When you see the people back home in Afghanistan and the love they have for this game, that just keeps me going. I have to give them that happiness when we win. When I played the other day [at Lord’s], they all celebrated. They were cheering for me. It’s the only source of happiness. That’s something which keeps me going, keeps me motivated, and keeps me full of energy. I want to deliver something special for my team and the people,” added Rashid.
Rashid is currently playing in the Hundred in England and will be in action for Afghanistan in the tri-series against Pakistan and the UAE before the Asia Cup, which begins on 9 September.
For the latest sports news follow- Revsportz