Taliban thanks India for helping Afghanistani cricket after Rashid Khan and team reach T20 World Cup semi-finals
The Taliban rulers of Afghanistan have appreciated India and thanked the country for helping in capacity building while helping Rashid Khan and his team reach the T20 World Cup semi-finals.
India has been supporting and providing facilities to Afghanistan cricket for years now.
Afghanistan will now face South Africa in the semi-finals on Thursday.
In the other clash, England and India will face each other in the final-four stage of the marquee tournament.
Taliban's Head of the Political Office, Suhail Shaheen told WION, "We are thankful for India’s continuous help in capacity building of the Afghan Cricket Team. We really appreciate that."
د هېواد د بهرنیو چارو وزیر ښاغلي امیر خان متقي د نړیوال جام نیمه پایلوبو ته د افغان اتلانو د لارموندنې په پار لوبډلمشر راشد خان ته مبارکي ورکړه او لوبډلې ته یې د لا زیاتو بریاو غوښتنه وکړه، د دوی بشپړې ټیلیفوني خبرې اترې دلته اورېدلی شئ. pic.twitter.com/YMz3jI6Mwe
— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) June 25, 2024
Apart from providing training to the cricketers of the war-torn nation, India also gave them Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex in Greater Noida as a temporary "home-ground" for the Afghan team.
Another stadium in Dehradun was also provided to the rising cricketing power house.
India also hosted Afghanistan's first-ever Test match in 2018.
Several Afghanistani cricketers, including skipper Rashid Khan, play in Indian Premier League.
Meanwhile, immediately after Afghanistan beat Bangladesh to reach the semi-finals and even ensured Australia exited the tournament, a jubilant Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi spoke to Khan to congratulate him and his side over the victory.
The Minister began his video call conversation with Khan by saying 'Mubarak' (congratulations).
A video of the conversation has now gone viral on the internet.