‘We don’t care what’s going on outside,’ says Afghanistan captain ahead of Proteas clash

Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi will not allow the outside noise to affect his team when they face the Proteas in their ICC Champions Trophy opener in Karachi on Friday (11am SA time start).

Afghanistan were recently the centre of attention when South Africa’s Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie pledged his official support for a boycott of the former war-torn nation, due to its Taliban government’s crackdown on women’s rights since returning to power in August 2021.

McKenzie stated that “if it was my decision, then it certainly would not happen”, in reference to the Proteas team facing Afghanistan in the ICC Champions Trophy.

He went further by saying that “Cricket South Africa, the federations of other countries and the ICC (International Cricket Council) will have to think carefully about the message the sport of cricket wishes to send the world, and especially the women in sports”.

Shahidi was not willing to get involved in the politics related to his team’s participation in the ICC Champions Trophy, and stressed that his team’s focus was purely on beating the Proteas, which they recently did in Sharjah last year, when they completed a historic 2-1 series victory.

“I think as a sportsman, our job is to play cricket, and we don’t care what’s going on outside. We only control things inside the ground,” Shahidi said.

“So, that’s our job, and other things cannot put us under pressure. In the world everyone, knows that we are playing well, and especially in the last three years, our performance in the ground is very good.

“So, we can only control the things in the ground, so we focus on that – and in here also, we just do the controllable things.

“As a team, we are looking to win the trophy, and we will just play match by match.

“Now (our) focus (is) on the first game, so we will not look too far ahead because we have game tomorrow, and our focus will be how to beat South Africa.”

Although the ICC Champions Trophy is the first major tournament to be held in Pakistan for 26 years, the Afghans have it even worse as they do not play any international cricket at home in front of their passionate supporters.

But with Pakistan and Afghanistan being in close proximity and many Afghans being based on this side of the border, Friday’s clash against the South Africans will be the closest to a home match Shahidi’s team will experience.

“A lot of Afghans live here, and last time in the Asia Cup, we saw some Afghan fans coming here. So, hopefully that stadium will be full, and I know that a lot of Pashtuns are following who live here in Pakistan. Hopefully their support is also with us.

“So, looking forward, and Insha-Allah people back home in Afghanistan and outside the country – like those living in European countries and other countries – will also support us so we keep that in mind that they will support us, and we will give our 100% to them to give them a good result.

“Every country’s people are happy when their team wins. So, Afghans are the same, like the way other countries’ people are happy for the win.”