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[Watch] Afghanistan’s Heroic World Cup 2023 Team Gets Grand Welcome Back Home

image-low2o5ghAfghanistan players converge for a wicket at the 2023 World Cup (AP)

The Afghanistan cricket team received a hero’s welcome back home after capping a remarkable World Cup 2023 performance in India. Under Hashmatullah Shahidi’s leadership, the Afghan team punched above its weight to register four remarkable victories, including wins against Sri Lanka, arch-rivals Pakistan, and defending champions England across their nine league fixtures.

Shahidi and co. also gave a major scare to Australia and South Africa in successive must-win games and ultimately secured the number six spot on the World Cup 2023 points table to finish above the likes of Test giants England, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh.

Afghanistan players receive a hero’s welcome

Several Afghanistan cricketers, including star performers Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Mohammad Nabi, and Fazalhaq Farooqi received a heroic welcome at the Kabul airport upon their arrival from the 2023 World Cup in India.

A number of their players can also be seen interacting with several eagerly-awaiting fans, as they were graced with hugs and cheers by an enthusiastic Afghan crowd.

Watch: Afghanistan players receive a grand welcome in Kabul

After losing their initial two World Cup 2023 fixtures to Bangladesh and hosts India upfront, Afghanistan upstaged defending champions England to snap their 14-match losing streak in the grandest stage of the game.

Having spent the entirety of the 2019 World Cup in England without securing a win, Hashmatullah Shahidi’s troops also trounced Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the Netherlands in successive games to become a serious semi-final contender at one stage. However, close defeats to Australia and South Africa in their final two matches ensured that they finished the competition at number six on the points table, marking their best-ever World Cup performance since their debut in 2015.

Owing to their spirited run, the Afghanistan team also drew huge crowd support from Indian fans, especially during the backend of their campaign.

While Shahidi and co. missed out on a chance to qualify for the semi-finals by a mere two points, they did book a berth for the upcoming 2025 Champions Trophy by finishing among the top eight sides of the competition.