RASHID: HELP MY PEOPLE

AFGHANISTAN cricket star Rashid Khan has pleaded with world leaders to help bring peace to his home country as the ongoing humanitarian crisis worsens.

Khan (above), his country’s captain in T20, is starring for Trent Rockets in The Hundred.

Amid the backdrop of bloodshed as the Taliban seized Afghanistan’s capital Kabul on Sunday, Khan delivered a key performance in the Rockets’ win over Manchester Originals, picking up 3-16 as his side secured qualification for the knockout stages of the competition.

In the early hours of yesterday morning, Khan posted an Instagram story with the Afghanistan flag, a praying hands emoji, two crying face emojis and the caption ‘Can’t sleep’.

He also sent an emotional message to world leaders on Tuesday, tweeting: “Dear World Leaders! My country is in chaos, thousand of innocent people, including children & women, get martyred everyday, houses & properties being destroyed.

“Thousands of families displaced... Don’t leave us in chaos. Stop killing Afghans & destroying Afghanistan. We want peace.”

Khan is one of four Afghan cricketers who are in England for The Hundred, with Mohammad Nabi at London Spirit, Mujeeb Ur Rahman at Northern Superchargers and Qais Ahmad at Welsh Fire.

And Nabi tweeted: “As an Afghan, I bleed to see where my beloved country is today. Afghanistan descends into chaos and there has been a substantial rise in calamity and tragedy and is currently in humanitarian crisis.

“I appeal to the leaders of the world; please don’t let Afghanistan go into chaos. We need your Support. We want Peace. #PeaceforAfghanistan #FreedomforAfghanistan #StopKillingAfghans.”

Speaking before the tournament, Khan revealed he had spent just 25 days at home over the past five years.

And Kevin Pietersen, who was on commentary for Sky Sports during Sunday’s game, said: “He’s worried.

“He can’t get his family out of Afghanistan and there’s a lot of things happening for him.”