'It doesn't matter who won or lost'
Afghanistan’s first steps in Test cricket weren’t the easiest. After all, they did have to face the No.1 side in the world.
Despite the large defeat by an innings and 262 runs within two days in Bengaluru on Friday, 15 June, there was nothing but goodwill for the newest Test nation.
“This is just the beginning for them,” Ajinkya Rahane, the stand-in Indian captain, said. And it was a sentiment echoed around the world.
Fantastic effort by the boys to wrap this up in 2 days!
— Ajinkya Rahane (@ajinkyarahane88) June 16, 2018
Afghanistan Cricket Board will only go from strength to strength here onwards. My best wishes to them for their journey in Test Cricket. #IndvAfg pic.twitter.com/K4JSrkrlBV
Thanks alot @BCCI For being a wonderful host and playing a historic test match with @ACBofficials. A special thanks to @ajinkyarahane88 For this wonderful gesture. Am sure our team learned alot from the game.@bhogleharsha @RJohri @amitabhchjsca @goransaxena https://t.co/yVNduzqEhM
— Shafiq Stanikzai (@ShafiqStanikzai) June 15, 2018
Congratulations India on the win, really liked the ruthlessness with which they went about their job. Also congratulations to @ACBofficials .Though they lost convincingly, I am sure they would have learnt a lot & am sure they will improve and start winning matches soon #INDvAFG
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) June 15, 2018
@BCCI prove to be a dominant force at home. I'm sure @ACBofficials will be bitterly disappointed as they are far better than what they showed. No reason why they can't have the success in the Test arena like they do in the ODI/T20 arena. They will learn a lot from this. #Indvafgh
— Brendan Taylor (@BrendanTaylor86) June 15, 2018
Best Wishes to everyone involved @ACBofficials for tomorrow
— Sikandar Raza (@SRazaB24) June 13, 2018
A Massive honor awaits all of you including the people of #Afghanistan
This Blazer represents the hard work and the Struggles you all have gone through
Best wishes for 2mrw@MohammadNabi007 @rashidkhan_19 @MShahzad077 pic.twitter.com/pvXEmIslYl
For fans, just a seat at the pinnacle of the sport was something to celebrate.
Suleiman Khan, a student in the Pakhtika province in Afghanistan, travelled all the way to Bengaluru just to see his national team play their historic first Test match. Riaz Ullah Ghulam, an Afghan studying in Malaysia, was another who made the trip as well.
“We’re very excited for them. We were a little bit disappointed with the result, but it’s OK, it’s their first Test. We’re hoping they will be doing very well in the future,” said Ghulam, who despite fasting all day kept the Afghan flag waving and the cheers going throughout.
“It doesn’t matter to us who won or who lost,” said Khan, who fancies himself as a bit of a batsman. “That’s why I’ve brought the Indian flag and the Afghanistan flag. That’s our friendship. What feels good is that we’ve played our first match against India.”
“For us it was a historical match because it was our first Test. And, also, history because it was against our friend country, India, who is ranked first in Test cricket. We already said that this is a match where it does not matter who is the winner, because we generally ‘bleed blue’,” added Syed Mansoor.
Having just finished his studies in Bengaluru, Mansoor was waiting to watch this match before heading back home to Kabul.
Having seen the stadiums back home always full of excitement for the Shpageeza Cricket League, the Ramadan T20 Cup and the other state tournaments, these fans want to see their team go further.
“We’re hoping to get better cricket grounds,” said Ghulam. “And we hope the ICC and cricket boards give them the opportunity to play internationally with every team.”