T20 World Cup-Taliban officials celebrate Afghanistan’s win: Taliban officials took to social media on Monday to congratulate the Afghan national cricket team for winning a match in the T20 World Cup, but there was a muted response on the streets of Kabul where such wins were celebrated enthusiastically in the past. Follow T20 World Cup live updates on Insidesport.in
Afghanistan beat Scotland in a match played in Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates – the first major victory for the team since the Taliban takeover of the country.
T20 World Cup-Taliban officials celebrate Afghanistan’s win: While the Taliban frown on many forms of public entertainment, cricket has always been an exception, a game fighters followed closely even during the war whenever the national team was playing.
“Congratulations to the team and wish them more success in the future,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said on Twitter.
A spokesman for the Taliban’s Qatar office also joined in the praise, adding: “We hope for similar and even higher achievements in other fields, especially in the political, economic and scientific fields.”
T20 World Cup-Taliban officials celebrate Afghanistan’s win: The highest profile message came from Anas Haqqani, the younger brother of Afghanistan’s current acting Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani – the head of the Haqqani Network.
“Afghanistan won,” the younger Haqqani said.
The Taliban’s representative-designate to the United Nations Suhail Shaheen tweeted: “Well done boys!”
Congratulation to all Afghan cricket team and the entire Afghan nation for the historical win against Scotland. Well done boys! May Allah favour you with future victories.
Keep it up!
T20-world cup-2021— Suhail Shaheen. محمد سهیل شاهین (@suhailshaheen1) October 25, 2021
However, there was relative silence across Kabul, where such victories were previously met with jubilation in the streets, fireworks and celebratory gunfire. There were only a few, small fireworks seen in the Kabul sky.
The streets were mostly empty or silent.
The Taliban’s foes also saw the victory as significant for the country. Amrullah Saleh, the ex-vice president who became one of the leaders of the anti-Taliban forces after the fall of Kabul, pointed out on Twitter that the cricket team had sung a national anthem and raised a flag which are not recongnised by the Taliban.
I salute the courage of our cricket heroes & their dediction to our national values.They sang the national anthem & hoisted our national flag in a very clear act of definace to Pak backed Taliban terror tyrany. Talib regime has no voice of its own & has a PM with no CV and voice https://t.co/gN5MhWS4Hu
— Amrullah Saleh (@AmrullahSaleh2) October 25, 2021
President Ashraf Ghani, who fled the country in August, said the victory had “installed new hopes in the hearts of all that this nation is alive and no one can hold it hostage!”
T20 World Cup-Taliban officials celebrate Afghanistan’s win: Despite years of violence and upheaval, Afghanistan has an enthusiastic and widespread following of cricket and residents of Kabul were eagerly anticipating the cricket world cup matches.
The governing International Cricket Council (ICC) will meet next month to determine the game’s future in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime. Follow T20 World Cup live updates on Insidesport.in
