The incredible rise of Afghanistan in world cricket has been probably unrivaled, and it’s not simply another fairytale. The squad advanced to the World Cup (T20) semifinals for the first time in 2024, but they just achieved full membership in the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 2017.
Afghanistan, who is sometimes written off as the underdog or minnows in important tournaments, surprised everyone in T20 World Cup by playing some outstanding matches, particularly against Australia and New Zealand, to get to the semi-finals.
The players deserve a great deal of credit for raising their game and performing when it counted most, but India and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have also contributed significantly to their success.
In 2015, Afghanistan’s temporary “home ground” was the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex in Greater Noida, courtesy of the BCCI. Afghanistan moved their headquarters from Sharjah to Noida, and in 2017 they even held international matches in Greater Noida against Ireland.
Not only is Greater Noida Afghanistan’s “home ground,” but they also “hosted” a Twenty20 series in Dehradun versus Bangladesh. The BCCI provided Afghanistan with the necessary facilities so that it could flourish.
That wasn’t all, though. Lalchand Rajput, Manoj Prabhakar, and Ajay Jadeja—all former Indian players—have all previously served as coaches for the Afghanistan national team. Jadeja was actually their mentor right up till the 2023 ODI World Cup.
The BCCI, perhaps the most influential cricket body globally, went so far as to invite Ashraf Ghani, the president of Afghanistan at the time, to attend the team’s inaugural Test match in Bengaluru, marking a significant advancement in the development of ties between the two countries and teams.
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The success of Afghan players in world cricket has likely been largely attributed to the Indian Premier League (IPL).
A large number of Afghan athletes compete in the T20 league, where they can make good money and improve their own performance as well as that of other athletes in the nation. Afghan players have participated in the IPL at a significantly higher rate throughout the years, and this trend is expected to continue.
