WHEN they win, the skies ring with joyful gunfire. Afghanistan’s cricket team is wildly popular. They are mobbed in the street and featured in endless ads. After one victory, staff at a European embassy in Kabul mistook the celebrations for an attack on their compound.
On June 14th Afghanistan became the 12th country to play test cricket, taking on India in Bangalore. Test matches, the game’s oldest format, last for up to five days and can be played only by an elite club of nations selected by the International Cricket Council. Afghanistan’s ascent from cricketing obscurity to “test status” is a rare source of national pride in a country torn apart by conflict. Its progress is all the more remarkable given that its team cannot play at home. Other sides refuse to visit Afghanistan for fear of being blown up. So Afghans have to play their “home” matches in India.
Until recently, cricket was virtually unknown in Afghanistan....Continue reading
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