When the country needs me I will be there, says 'proud' Asghar Stanikzai

Afghanistan defeated Ireland by five wickets in the last game of the Super Sixes in the ongoing ICC World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe. The victory also meant that they were the second and the last team to qualify for the marquee event next year in England. Though the things got very tight in the end as their skipper Asghar Stanikzai stood out with some brilliant shots amidst pain in his stomach. However, he was feeling proud after the victory as they were one of the 10 teams to play in the World Cup.

Stanikzai had undergone the Appendix operation ahead of the tournament and also had to miss out on the initial few matches. His team lost three matches upfront shockingly and were only lucky to qualify for the Super Sixes as Nepal defeated Hong Kong in their final league game. Even in the next round, luck played a huge role as UAE won against Zimbabwe against all the odds. Had Zimbabwe won that game, the match between Afghanistan and Ireland would’ve been a dead rubber.

But when they were presented with an opportunity, the team stepped up and more so the captain who scored an enterprising and match-winning 39* in the chase and.

I am still feeling the pain

Asghar Stanikzai was lost for words after the victory while speaking to the media and added that he will always be there whenever his country needs him. “I’m not feeling well, I’m still feeling pain inside, especially when I was going for big shots. But we have to sacrifice and fight for our country and that’s what we did. When the country needs me I will be there, I forget about the pain and I’m proud to add my contribution,” he said.

He also cleared that it was a dream of each and every player to play in the World Cup which will come true now when they take the flight to England next year. “It was a dream of every player to qualify and it’s come true. The guys are very happy and they deserve it for the way they played. I can’t express how happy they will be back home,” Stanikzai added.

The 31-year-old dedicated this qualification to the people back home who prayed for them throughout the tournament. “We didn’t even have a 10 per cent chance to qualify but the support from back home…it was not just a dream of our guys, but of Afghanistan as well. We want to dedicate this to all the people back home who supported us,” he concluded.

Here’s our video of the day:

Keep following CricTracker for more news and updates.