Afghan cricket fans are celebrating the country’s first victory in a World Cup match, after their national team defeated Scotland by one wicket in Dunedin, New Zealand on February 26.
Afghan star Samiullah Shenwari, who learned to play cricket while growing up in a refugee camp in Pakistan, predicted the victory will be a huge boost for the sport in Afghanistan.
Although cricket was played by British soldiers in Kabul in 1839 and was the only sport approved by the Taliban regime, it remained virtually nonexistent in Afghanistan until 2001 when the Afghan national team was created.
Shenwari said the Afghan team is hungry for more wins in their remaining World Cup matches, in which they will face co-hosts Australia and New Zealand as well as England in Pool A play.
Their next match is against Australia, the four-time champions, in Perth on March 4.
With reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP
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