"When we mention India's name in Afghanistan, we feel a sense of belonging"- Hashmatullah Shahidi

Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi has opened up on the cricketing ties between India and Afghanistan. There is absolutely no denying that India and Afghanistan share close cricketing ties.

Afghanistan cricket's meteoric rise in the last decade or so has been inspirational and India has played a big role in it.

New Zealand and Afghanistan to lock horns in Greater Noida

Not very long ago, Afghanistan were seen as underdogs or minnows of world cricket. However, the situation has completely changed in the last couple of years or so thanks to their stunning performance. In the 2023 ODI World Cup, Afghanistan missed out on a semifinal spot by a whisker.

During the competition, they defeated reigning champions England, former champions Pakistan and Sri Lanka as well as the Netherlands.

In the 2024 T20 World Cup, Afghanistan created history by qualifying for the semifinal, just seven years after becoming a full member of the ICC. The Rashid Khan-led side beat the likes of New Zealand and Australia to make it to the last four.

While the credit for Afghanistan's stunning display should be given to the players, there is little denying that the BCCI played a big part in their development. In 2015, Afghanistan played its home games at the Greater Noida Sports Complex Ground.

Later, the BCCI allotted three cricket grounds to Afghanistan (Noida, Dehradun and Lucknow).

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, India is also involved in the construction of cricket stadiums and grounds in various provinces of Afghanistan under the aegis of HICDP.

In 2018, India had also hosted Afghanistan for their first-ever Test. Later, Indian FMCG, Amul sponsored Afghanistan for the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2019.

Recently, Afghanistan played their home games in UAE but have been given the green light to play on Indian grounds once again. In September, they will be playing a one-off Test against New Zealand at the Greater Noida Sports Complex Ground.

Hashmatullah Shahidi on India-Afghanistan relation:

In an exclusive interview with Cricket Addictor, Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi said that people in his country are fully aware of India's contribution to their cricket journey.

The left-handed batsman said that while the Afghanistan cricket team might not be very popular among the Indian fans, the case is very different back in his home country. He stated that people in Afghanistan feel a sense of belonging whenever India's name is mentioned.

"In India, not everyone knows about Afghanistan cricket, but when we mention India's name in Afghanistan, we feel a sense of belonging," Hashmatullah Shahidi told Cricket Addictor.