LETTER FROM NEW DELHI

The Cricket World Cup isn't over yet, but Afghanistan has already won everyone over. The team, which is made up of very young players, hoped to qualify for the semi-finals of this competition, which is taking place in India from October 5 to November 19. While they eventually failed to achieve their objective on the field, they did manage to do much more: They captivated those with little interest in this sport, in the land of cricket and beyond. Halfway through the tournament, which is being watched by millions of fans around the world, the Blue Tigers achieved the feat of beating defending champions England, along with Pakistan, thereby threatening to knock the two cricketing giants out of the running. Then, on October 30, they triumphed again over Sri Lanka.

"Cricket is the only unifying force in the most difficult of times for Afghans," said Farid Mamundzay, Afghanistan's ambassador to New Delhi. "In a bleak geopolitical landscape, where prospects for a brighter future seem few and far between, international cricket victories offer a glimmer of hope to young people."

From Kabul to New Delhi, via the United States, the Afghan team has thrilled all those exiled since the Taliban took power in August 2021, as well as those who remained at home. After their victory over neighboring Pakistan at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, southeast India, on October 23, Kabul was the scene of rare scenes of joy. Residents took to the streets of the capital to blow horns, set off fireworks, sing and dance, defying Taliban bans.

Since the arrival of its new rulers, the country has been sinking into the abyss. Individual freedoms have been trampled underfoot, women have been ostracized and the humanitarian crisis is such that the United Nations estimates that half the population is suffering from acute hunger. To cap it all off, a terrible earthquake devastated entire villages in the north-western region of Herat in early October, killing over 1,000 people.

"Clearly, this wasn’t just cricket but the sighs of a nation long suppressed", wrote Indian journalist Jyoti Malhotra, in her column published by the news website The Print, to explain this jubilation. During matches, it is not the black and white flag of the "Islamic Emirate" that flies proudly in the stands, but the red, green and black flag of the former Islamic Republic.

"When this victory [against Pakistan] came, there was an inexplicable lightness to being an Afghan," wrote Muska Najibullah, author and daughter of former president Mohammad Najibullah, who was assassinated in 1996. "This game carries more weight than the entire World Cup. The team played with unmatched passion and courage to win, channeling their anger, hurt, and loss onto the field. In the most peaceful and graceful manner, they triumphed with their bat and ball."

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