Afghans At The WC
I was going to take a dig at Kabir Khan’s pre-match “We’ll give India something to think about” statement in this post, but I changed my mind. Thanks to this article by Sharda Ugra (link via Prem Panicker).
Opener Karim Sadiq, the Indian Express revealed a few days ago, is called Kabul ka Sehwag (the Sehwag of Kabul) while wicketkeeper Mohammed Shazhad, like MS Dhoni wears the No. 7 shirt. Their left-handed fast bowler is nick named Zak after our own Broody One.
Cricket is not a favourite sport but the cricketers are Afghanistan’s new heroes. They have become the words Afghans want read about their country in the outside world. Not ‘Taliban’, ‘warlords’, ‘drone attacks’, suicide bombers, opium fields, NATO forces, CIA. But victory, qualification, performance, joy, batsmen, bowlers, man of the match, fours, sixes.
The fact that I did not write a cocky post before the match, and that I was feverishly checking the score while watching Iron Man 2 to make sure all was going ok, should tell you that I was a little…well…concerned. Afghanistan has the drive and hunger to make its mark at the big stage, and India has a tendency to start slow. Let’s just say I’m happy to note that India won comfortably and am looking foward to following Afghanistan’s progress in the future.
Iron Man 2? Thought it comes out next week.
[Reply]
Megha Reply:
May 2nd, 2010 at 12:35
It released on Friday in the UK..is it out in India next week?
[Reply]
satty
2 May 10 at 05:42
Count me in, following the Afghans with considerable interest.
[Reply]
Megha Reply:
May 2nd, 2010 at 12:36
Cheers Som
[Reply]
Som
2 May 10 at 11:15
how was iron man 2
[Reply]
Megha Reply:
May 2nd, 2010 at 12:39
Timepaas types…the first part was better….this one felt like a video game towards the end.
If you were going to shell out extra bucks to watch it in an IMAX theatre, you can skip that…a normal screen is good enough for this one.
[Reply]
Naked Cricket
2 May 10 at 12:15
dhoni’s decision to bowl first reflected this concern of all of us… we will not over come it (slow start) untill unless we confront it head on…
[Reply]
straight point
2 May 10 at 13:12
True, there was a lot of press about the Afghan team. I remember watching Afghan vs. Pak in Sharjah? They batted fairly well for an emerging team, at least in that match.
“…India has a tendency to start slow [...] I’m happy to note that India won comfortably”. Looks like India are making ammends for this against Aus. Getting battered 90-s style.
[Reply]
vmminerva
7 May 10 at 17:08