ICC World T20: Afghanistan raring to make a mark on 'home-turf'

Afghanistan, whose cricketing offbeat has won many a hearts across the world will look forward to make their own supporters dignified in embraced grassroots of India with the start of World Twenty-20 on Tuesday. The Afghans have been the most consistent team among the associate nations in the past 2-3 years.

Currently, Asghar Stanikzai's side is 9th in the T-20 rankings, ahead of Test playing nations like Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. Their struugle to find a feet in International Cricket dates back to 2010 where they managed to overturn all odds to compete in the 2010 Twenty-20 World Cup.

They managed to notch up their madien 50-over World Cup in 2015 win by defeating Scotland by 1 wicket, a win which triggered wild celebrations in their country.

But this time, Afghanistan won’t be short on support as they will be playing on what is now their official home turf after they made a suburb of New Delhi their headquarters. And with quite a few thousands of Afghan refugees living in Delhi, one can expect them to be cheered by a colossal brigade of supporters in the game’s heartland.

"I have been with the team for the past 15 years and I am very satisfied with the side's progress... It's a brilliant achievement in a very short span of time," veteran batsman Mohammad Nabi told AFP during a recent nets session in Noida, a satellite city of New Delhi.

"We have seen difficult times back home, where there are no proper cricket grounds and academies. But now we are at the big stage," added Nabi, who is back in the ranks after a three-year spell as captain.

Under the Taliban, the hardline Islamist regime which was toppled in a US-led invasion in 2001, Cricket struggled to get a ballast in Afghanistan. With enormous emigrants fleeing across the border into Pakistan and subsequently India, many found themselves in a cricket crazy nation and grew up idolising Inzamam-ul-Haq and Sachin Tendulkar.

Inzamam in command

Inzy, one of the pillars of Pakistan batting in his times says his troops don't lack for talent but need greater exposure to take the next step up.

"I obviously share my experience with them, but they will only learn when put in such situations," Inzamam told AFP.

"If you want to learn swimming then you will have to jump in the water, no matter how many lessons you get on the ground.They are ready for international cricket and now they just need exposure”, added Inzamam.

Scotland will be the first challenge in their way to quest for main round of the tournament. Much will depend on Mohammad Shahzad, the wicketkeeper-batsman who bludgeoned an unbeaten 118 off just 67 balls during a T20 international against Zimbabwe in January. Shahzad idolises Indian skipper M.S. Dhoni and practices his trademark shot, the ‘helicopter’.

"It's wonderful, it's a treat for us and a dream come true," said Habib Rahman as he watched the team go through the paces. "We will definitely go watch our team's games. In Delhi or wherever they play, we will go," said Badshah Khan, another expat living in Delhi.

Time will only tell how much the Nabis and Shahzads will take their team forward in the competition in home-like conditions.