Afghanistan is inching closer to a potential semi-final spot in the ODI World Cup 2023, and a win over Australia on November 7 would be a major step forward. Ahead of this crucial match, the team received a boost from a surprise visit by legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar.
Sachin Tendulkar spent time with the players, sharing tips and motivation, and presented a memento to the most experienced player, Mohammad Nabi. The visit was facilitated by the ICC and Ajay Jadeja, former India international and advisor to the Afghanistan team for the World Cup.
Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi said that the players were excited to meet Tendulkar, their role model. “It’s the first time and we all are excited because he’s the legend of the game,” Shahidi said. “For a lot of players, we watched him on TV as a successful player and he was a role model for a lot of us. So, an exciting time for the whole team. See him and maybe some words and we learn from him.”
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Tendulkar also spent time with Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott and Jadeja, discussing the team’s strategy for the match against Australia. The trio also spent time on the field, where Tendulkar watched the players practice in the nets.
A Legendary Visit 🤩
The Legend @sachin_rt visited AfghanAtalan’s Training Session this evening at the iconic Wankhede Cricket Stadium in Mumbai. He praised #AfghanAtalan’s recent success at the #CWC23 and shared his invaluable insights with them. 👍#WarzaMaidanGata pic.twitter.com/hdNFslu481
— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) November 6, 2023
Afghanistan has performed phenomenally well in the tournament so far, and significant credit goes to Jadeja, who has instilled the young Afghan cricketers with positivity. “He (Ajay Jadeja) knows about conditions here in India,” Shahidi said. “He has played in all the stadiums and in all the grounds of all cities so that helps us.”
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He further added, “Most important about him is that he is a very positive person, so whenever the team is doing good, he is still there to support the team. When it’s a hard situation, pressure time, and the team is not doing well, he will be the first one to support the team. So that’s the good thing about him. And yes, we take experience from him.”
With Tendulkar’s motivation and Jadeja’s guidance, Afghanistan will be looking to put on a strong performance against Australia and continue their fairytale journey in the ODI World Cup 2023.
