The Afghanistan cricket team reached the T20 World Cup semi-finals for the first time in their history this year, earning the praise from all over the cricket world.
Despite losing, the Afghan government is expressing gratitude to the winner of the other semifinal for its help over the years.
The Taliban expressed gratitude to India for its long-term support and capacity building through training, sponsorship, and infrastructure development, including a $1 million grant for the Kandahar cricket stadium.
India has also provided temporary home grounds for the Afghanistan team in Greater Noida and Dehradun and hosted Afghanistan’s first Test match in 2018.
Wion, a news channel based in Noida, India, reported this story.
Taliban’s Head of the Political Office, Suhail Shaheen said: “We are thankful for India’s continuous help in capacity building of the Afghan Cricket Team. We really appreciate that.”
The IPL has also significantly contributed to Afghan cricket’s growth, making players like Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, and Mujeeb Ur Rahman household names in both countries.
The full Wion feature is available here.
