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Afghanistan's Champions Trophy Debut in Pakistan Marred by Deportation Fears

B MOKSHAGNA REDDY's profile image
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Image credits: AFP/Reuters/White Star/Tahir Jamal

Afghan refugees seeking resettlement in Pakistan gathered at a cafe in Islamabad to watch their national cricket team play in the elite Champions Trophy for the first time, but the discussion soon turned to their fears of deportation. Pakistan, hosts of the Champions Trophy featuring cricket's top eight one-day sides including Afghanistan, is in the middle of a huge drive to repatriate the roughly 4 million Afghans who have crossed the border during 40 years of armed conflict at home, including since the Taliban seized power in 2021.

While Afghan fans outside the ground in Karachi were in a festive mood ahead of their side's opener against South Africa, those in Islamabad spoke of their fear after Pakistan began deporting Afghans from the capital and its twin garrison city of Rawalpindi in January. The Afghan team's debut in the Champions Trophy was a significant milestone, with many players having played in Karachi before, including veteran cricketer Mohammad Nabi, who has played domestic cricket in the city for Pakistan Customs. Nabi brought his experience to the mix, taking a wicket off the very first ball of his spell, sending the Afghan fans in the stands into a frenzy. The team's performance was also boosted by the presence of local Karachi legend Younis Khan, who was part of the Afghan dressing room as a mentor.

The match between Afghanistan and South Africa was a one-sided affair, with South Africa winning by 107 runs, but the Afghan fans stuck around to catch a glimpse of their favourite players in person. The spectators were rewarded with a few fireworks from Afghanistan's Rashid Khan, who treated them to a quick-fire 18 of 13, including three boundaries and a six. The team's wicket-keeper, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, thanked the supporters after the match and said that playing in Karachi felt like playing at home, with the ground almost full and the team receiving a lot of support from the crowd. However, the match was also interrupted by an unexpected guest, a black cat that stopped play during the 31st over of the Afghanistan batting innings, causing a temporary halt before the cat was rescued and play resumed.

The Afghan team's next match is against England on Wednesday, and they will be looking to bounce back from their loss against South Africa. The team's performance in the Champions Trophy will be closely watched by fans and critics alike, and they will be hoping to make a strong impression in their debut tournament. The cricket world will be watching with interest as Afghanistan takes on the top teams in the world, and the team will be looking to prove themselves as a force to be reckoned with. The Champions Trophy is a prestigious tournament, and Afghanistan's participation is a significant milestone for the country's cricket team.

Here are the match scores:

  • Afghanistan vs South Africa: South Africa won by 107 runs
  • Upcoming matches:
    1. Afghanistan vs England on Wednesday
    2. South Africa vs Australia on Tuesday
    3. South Africa vs England on Saturday
The tournament schedule is as follows:
  1. February 21: Afghanistan vs South Africa
  2. February 25: South Africa vs Australia
  3. February 26: Afghanistan vs England
  4. March 1: South Africa vs England

Related Tags

deportation cricket pakistan refuge fear trophy champion debut afghanistan afghan

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...he asked, "Where are you today, right now?"Eagerly, I started talking about myself. However, I noticed that I was still being sidetracked from getting answers to my questions. Still, I told him about my distant and recent past and about my inexplicable depressions. He listened patiently and intently, as if he had all the time in the world, until I finished several hours later."Very well," he said. "But you still have not answered my question about where you are.""Yes I did, remember? I told you how I got to where I am today: by hard work.""Where are you?""What do you mean, where am I?""Where Are you?" he repeated softly."I'm here.""Where is here?""In this office, in this gas station!" I was getting impatient with this game."Where is this gas station?""In Berkeley?""Where is Berkeley?""In California?""Where is California?""In the United States?""On a landmass, one of the continents in the Western Hemisphere. Socrates, I...""Where are the continents?I sighed. "On the earth. Are we done yet?""Where is the earth?""In the solar system, third planet from the sun. The sun is a small star in the Milky Way galaxy, all right?""Where is the Milky Way?""Oh, brother, " I sighed impatiently, rolling my eyes. "In the universe." I sat back and crossed my arms with finality."And where," Socrates smiled, "is the universe?""The universe is well, there are theories about how it's shaped...""That's not what I asked. Where is it?""I don't know - how can I answer that?""That is the point. You cannot answer it, and you never will. There is no knowing about it. You are ignorant of where the universe is, and thus, where you are. In fact, you have no knowledge of where anything is or of What anything is or how is came to be. Life is a mystery."My ignorance is based on this understanding. Your understanding is based on ignorance. This is why I am a humorous fool, and you are a serious jackass. - By Dan Millman, Way of the Peaceful Warrior: A Book That Changes Lives