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Afghan girls’ soccer squad find new home in Ronaldo’s Portugal

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(Last Updated On: October 1, 2021)

Leaving her homeland Afghanistan was painful, says 15-year-old Sarah. But now safely in Portugal, she hopes to pursue her dream of playing soccer professionally – and perhaps meeting her idol, star striker Cristiano Ronaldo, Reuters reported.

Sarah was one of several players from Afghanistan’s national female youth soccer squad who fled their country in fear after the Taliban hardline Islamist movement seized power in August.

Portugal has granted asylum to the young footballers.

“I’m free,” she said, smiling from ear-to-ear as she visited Lisbon’s landmark Belem Tower on the River Tagus with her mother and teammates.

“My dream is to be a good player like Ronaldo – and I want to be a big business woman here in Portugal,” she said.

She hoped to go back home one day but only if she can live freely, read the report.

Her mother, who requested that Reuters did not use their surname, had experienced first-hand a previous era of Taliban [Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan] rule from 1996 to 2001. She is less optimistic they will ever be able to return.

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s leaders have promised to respect women’s rights but under their first government, women could not work and girls were banned from school. Women had to cover their faces and be accompanied by a male relative when they left home.

A senior Islamic Emirate official said after the Aug. 15 takeover that women would probably not be allowed to play sport because it was “not necessary” and their bodies might be exposed.

“The reason we took on this mission (to evacuate the team) was to ensure they can aspire and play the sport they love,” said Farkhunda Muhtaj, captain of the Afghanistan women’s senior national team, who flew to Lisbon on Wednesday to surprise the youth team players.

From her home in Canada, where she works as assistant soccer coach at a local university, Muhtaj has been in touch with the girls throughout the evacuation process, codenamed Operation Soccer Balls. It managed to rescue a total of 80 people – the female youth team and family members, including babies.

According to the Reuters report they landed in Portugal on Sept. 19.

When Muhtaj showed up on Wednesday night, the girls were ecstatic. They hugged. Some could not hold back the tears.

“They been through so much, so many challenges,” Muhtaj said. “They were just resilient and they were able to make it happen.”

One relative, 25-year-old Zaki Rasa, recalled the chaos at the Kabul airport, where he spent three anguished days. He is now delighted to be in Portugal and wants to continue his studies.

“There is some uncertainty about the future,” he said. “The important thing is that we are safe.”

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Ireland beat Afghanistan by 38 runs in first T20I

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(Last Updated On: March 16, 2024)

Ireland defeated Afghanistan by 38 runs to take 1-0 lead in their three-match T20I series in Sharjah on Friday.

Sent to bat first by Afghans who won the toss, Ireland posted 149-6, with Harry Tector scoring 56 off 34 (not out). Captain Paul Stirling hit 25 while Andy Balbirnie made 22.

Rashid Khan, who returned to competitive cricket after months of absence due to back injury, picked up three wickets, giving away 19 runs in the four overs he bowled.

Nangeyalia Kharote picked up two wickets, giving away only 16 runs in his four overs.

Chasing 150, Afghanistan lost Rahmanullah Gurbaz in the very first bowl of their innings. They lost Sediqullah Atal and Azmatullah Omarzai in the second over.

Wickets continued to fall and Afghanistan were all out in the 18.4 overs, having made 111 runs. Mohammad Ishaq (32) was their top-scorer, followed by Mohammad Nabi who made 25.

The second T20I between the sides will be played on Sunday at the same venue.

 

 

 

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Rashid back in team for T20I series against Ireland

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(Last Updated On: March 14, 2024)

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has announced the names of 15 national cricket team players for the T20 international series against Ireland.

Included in the team is Rashid Khan. This comes after a break of a few months following back surgery.

Rashid will also captain the team.

Afghanistan and Ireland cricket teams will face each other at Sharjah Stadium on March 15, 17 and 18 after playing the ODI series and one off test match.

List of Afghanistan players:

Rashid Khan (Captain), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Garbaz, Sediq Atal, Ijaz Ahmadzai, Ishaq Rahimi, Mohammad Nabi, Nangyal Kharotai, Azmatullah Omarzai, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb-ur-Rahman, Wafadar Momand, Farid Malik, Naveen-ul-Haq and Fazal Haq Farooqi.

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Afghanistan beat Ireland by 117 runs to take series 2-0

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(Last Updated On: March 13, 2024)

In the 3rd and final ODI of the series, Afghanistan beat Ireland by 117 runs, at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah, on Monday and win the ODI Series 2-0.

Ireland Men fell to a 117-run defeat at the hands of Afghanistan this evening – a result that saw the hosts clinch a 2-0 ODI series victory in Sharjah.

The spin duo of experienced Mohammad Nabi (5-17) and 19-year-old debutant Nangeyalia Kharote (4-30) were the eventual stars with the ball for the hosts, who successfully defended their 237-run target by bowling Ireland all-out for 119 in 35 overs. Nabi had earlier made a crucial 48 with the bat before going on to claim the best figures of his international career.

Having narrowly lost the first ODI, and seen the second washed out, Ireland was looking to level the series in its third and final match before three T20Is begin later in the week.

Paul Stirling called correctly at the toss once again, opting to bowl first and naming one change to his side from the opening fixture, Barry McCarthy replacing Craig Young.

It was McCarthy who struck the first blow, removing opener Ibrahim Zadran (22) to end a 62-run partnership with Rahmanullah Gurbaz (51). That sparked a flurry of wickets, Afghanistan swiftly falling from 62-0 to 96-4.

A fifth-wicket recovery ensued, however, as the wise-heads of Afghan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi (69) and Nabi shared a 97-run stand until the latter picked out Harry Tector at long-on off the bowling of Theo van Woerkom.

Adair (3-51) and McCarty (2-42) delivered well-executed spells at the death to limit Afghanistan to 236-9 from their 50 overs.

Andrew Balbirnie fell early in the reply, but Stirling (50) and Curtis Campher (43) soon steadied the ship. Stirling had registered his highest score as captain in ODIs reaching a run-a-ball half-century – an innings that included four boundaries and two sixes. However, he was caught at long-off three balls later off the bowling of Nabi.

That ended a 73-run partnership for the second wicket which took Ireland to 77-2 halfway through the 18th over and with 160 runs required for victory. At that stage Ireland were still firmly in the contest, until Nabi and Kharote took a grip on proceedings.

Nabi accounted for both Tector and Lorcan Tucker in swift succession, five days after the pair made 138 and 85, respectively, at the same venue.

Kharote had Campher caught behind soon after, went on to bowl George Dockrell and then trap Adair leg-before-wicket in a superb spell of bowling that left Ireland stunned.

Nabi completed a maiden five-wicket haul in international cricket with a beauty that cleaned-up Andy McBrine and the series was wrapped up when McCarthy suffered the same fate at the hands of Kharote.

The two teams now play three T20Is at the same venue, starting Friday, 15 March.

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