Afghan boy trains at a cricket academy here
PASSIONATE A young Afghan cricketer has come all the way to India to learn the nuances of the game and better his batting skills
NEW DELHI: Cricket is not just a game, it is a religion in India and many sports enthusiasts aspire to be cricketers as kids. To cater to the growing demand, many cricket academies have mushroomed all over the city. And south Delhi, too, boasts of a few of its own. However, there is one academy here where a cricket enthusiast had come all the way from Afghanistan.
Abdul Kabir, 17, a resident of Kandahar, and a cricketer in Afghanistan’s under-16 team, is in India to nurture his skills. He is presently undergoing training at RP Cricket Academy at Gargi College complex in Ayur Vigyan Nagar. Kabir dreams of playing for his country as well as Indian Premiere League.
“The facilities back home are not good and I know that India is the best place to enhance your skills. The excitement and passion for cricket here is unbelievable. Cricket in Afghanistan is played mostly with tennis balls at junior level. Secondly, we get to play only a few games as not many tournaments are organized at domestic level,” he said.
Kabir, who came to India in December, is on a four-month tour to Delhi. “I stay in Lajpat Nagar with my uncle. In fact, he only suggested that I get coaching in India if I wished to play for Afghanistan.”
Kabir, who is fluent in Hindi, gives credit to Bollywood for his language proficiency. “Bollywood and Salman Khan are very popular back home,” he added. ABDUL KABIR, cricketer