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No way he's 19! Age fraud suspected as AFG player Barkat Ibrahimzai's old photo resurfaces

Akshita Patel

Barkat Ibrahimzai trolled for age [Source: @GemsOfCricket/X.com]Barkat Ibrahimzai trolled for age [Source: @GemsOfCricket/X.com]

Afghanistan U19 cricketer Barkat Ibrahimzai has become the unexpected talk of the cricket world. But not for his performance, it's for his appearance and alleged age.

During the first Youth ODI against Bangladesh U19 in Bogra on October 28, social media erupted when fans noticed that Ibrahimzai didn’t quite look like a typical U-19 player.

Is Barkat Ibrahimzai really 19 years old?

The controversy began when the on-screen graphics introduced Afghanistan's Barkat Ibrahimzai as a 19-year-old all-rounder. However, fans quickly took to social media, questioning whether his appearance matched his listed age. 

Within minutes, an old image of Barkat from 2018 resurfaced, where he was looking beyond 20 years of age. 

Hence, the math didn’t add up for fans as they alleged age fraud. This confusion turned Ibrahimzai into an internet sensation overnight.

The post received hundreds of likes and retweets, with fans joking that Ibrahimzai looked ready for senior cricket. 

Fan tweet [Source: @ClinkWrites/X.com]Fan tweet [Source: @ClinkWrites/X.com]

While the jokes kept rolling, others called for more transparency regarding age verification processes for youth tournaments.

Meanwhile, on the field, it was an exciting contest. Afghanistan U-19 posted a competitive 265/9 in their first innings, thanks to a brilliant unbeaten 140 off 137 balls from Uzairullah Niazai, who smashed 16 fours and a six.

Bangladesh chased it down in style, riding on Kalam Siddiki’s 101 off 119 balls and a steady unbeaten 75 from Rizan Hossan, resulting in a 5-wicket win.

Age fraud not a new concern in Afghanistan cricket

This isn’t the first time Afghanistan players have been accused of age fraud. Rashid Khan, Ibrahim Zadran, Noor Ahmad and many more players were suspected of lowering their age.

The reasons for these issues partially include weak birth-registration systems and documentation in Afghanistan, making age verification challenging. 

While rumours and social-media debates are common, no major official ACB or ICC report has yet proven widespread age fraud within Afghan cricket.