Rashid Khan’s Plea for Sportsmanship Ahead of Tri-Series Opener

SHARJAH: Ahead of the T20I tri-series commencement against Pakistan, Afghanistan’s captain, Rashid Khan, has made a special request to the fans, imploring them to uphold discipline and embrace the values of the game.

Rashid urged the supporters to ensure there is no recurrence of the disruptive incidents witnessed during the Pakistan-Afghanistan match in Sharjah back in 2022, where crowd disturbances took precedence over an exhilarating showdown.

That intense contest, in which Pakistan secured victory by a single wicket in the final over, saw clashes erupt between the fans of both nations within the stadium, leading the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to formally lodge a grievance with the ICC.

During that time, Sharjah police took several Afghan supporters into custody; however, no formal charges were filed.

Since that event, the political climate between Pakistan and Afghanistan has deteriorated, thereby amplifying worries about possible volatile situations when the two teams compete.

For this series, event organizers have enforced more stringent protocols, which include designated seating arrangements for supporters of each nation, in an attempt to prevent crowd disturbances. Comparable actions were implemented in 2023 during their bilateral series held in the UAE.

Given the substantial Afghan and Pakistani communities residing in Sharjah, matches involving these two teams tend to be fiercely contested and are played before passionate crowds.

Nonetheless, while addressing a recent press briefing preceding the series opener, Rashid encouraged supporters to demonstrate respect and relish the occasion.

“My message to everyone attending the stadium is that cricket fosters unity,” Rashid remarked.

“It unites individuals and countries while conveying a message of peace. This sport is centered around enjoyment—we engage in it to entertain the fans. I urge everyone to attend, support their respective teams with respect, and savor every moment of the match,” he further expressed.

Regarding the cricketing aspect, the 26-year-old stated that the limited duration of the tri-series makes it challenging to designate any particular team as the favorite.

“No team holds the position of favorite, particularly in T20Is. Just one or two players have the potential to completely transform the game. Everyone will be focused on delivering their peak performance,” he affirmed.

It is important to note that the tri-series, featuring Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the UAE as hosts, is scheduled to take place from August 29 to September 7 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

This event is considered essential preparation for the forthcoming ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup, commencing on September 9 in the UAE.

Pakistan is set to face Afghanistan in the opening match of the tournament on Friday, August 29, under the stadium lights at 7:00 pm local time, succeeded by a match against the UAE on Saturday.

Each team will face the others twice, with the top two teams proceeding to the final on September 7.

Historically, Pakistan and Afghanistan have competed in T20Is seven times, with Pakistan emerging victorious in four matches and Afghanistan securing three wins.

Squads:
Pakistan Squad:
  • Saim Ayub
  • Fakhar Zaman
  • Salman Ali Agha (C)
  • Abrar Ahmed
  • Faheem Ashraf
  • Haris Rauf
  • Hasan Ali
  • Hasan Nawaz
  • Hussain Talat
  • Khushdil Shah
  • Mohammad Haris (WK)
  • Mohammad Nawaz
  • Mohammad Wasim Jr.
  • Sahibzada Farhan
  • Salman Mirza
  • Shaheen Shah Afridi
  • Sufiyan Muqeem
Afghanistan Squad:
  • Rashid Khan (C)
  • Rahmanullah Gurbaz
  • Ibrahim Zadran
  • Sediqullah Atal
  • Darwish Rasooli
  • Azmatullah Omarzai
  • Mohammad Ishaq
  • Gulbadin Naib
  • Mohammad Nabi
  • Karim Janat
  • Sharafuddin Ashraf
  • Noor Ahmad
  • Mujeeb Ur Rahman
  • AM Ghazanfar
  • Abdullah Ahmadzai
  • Farid Ahmad Malik
  • Fazalhaq Farooqi