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As Rahmaullah Gurbaz launched an ambush on the English bowlers, during an ICC World Cup 2023 match in Delhi, Hedayatullah Rohan – sitting 850 kilometres away in the Afghan city of Khost – found himself engulfed by a wave of bittersweet emotions.
First, let’s focus on the latter – that is – the ‘sweet’ part.
Watching Gurbaz – the 21-year-old Afghan opener – make light work of England’s star-studded bowling unit on 15 October, Hedayatullah knew why he was flawless in his prognostication – that, his childhood friend was made for greatness.
Except, his father cared. Being a school principal, he knew education was the most effective tool to break the shackles of poverty.
‘You’ll become a doctor,’ the father had suggested.
Little did he know that his son had insouciantly disregarded the suggestion even before he could finish his lecture.
“He had to deal with so many troubles while growing up,” he said.
“What sort of troubles?” we asked.
“His family, for starters. They were strict, his father was a principal. They wanted Rahmanullah to focus on studies, attend school every day and help the family out in the farms – not wander on the fields with us,” he says.
The plausible rationale follows.
What he had – in abundance, too – was talent. And his friends knew that a player of his calibre, though he was only in his early teens, should not quit the sport.
Result? Jugaad.
Friend Mohammad Qadir would open a pick-and-drop service solitarily for Gurbaz, while also spending his savings on kits. Hedayatullah would offer his bat to the opener.
Playing in numerous tennis-ball tournaments, scoring runs aplenty and garnering applause – life couldn’t have been any better.
Or, so he had thought, until his elder brother, Afsar, found out what Gurbaz had been doing behind the family’s back.
For the next few days, he had to be consoled by everyone in and around the team. With another bat from Hedyatullah, the cricketing escapade continued, till a major break changed his life – not figuratively, but quite literally.
“The coach told him that he should join the academy. He also promised that if Rahmanullah continues to bat well, he will take the responsibility of taking him to the higher levels,” Hedayatullah recalls.
Coach Zadran recalls how he got 'dileer' Gurbaz under his wing:
Since then, the escalation has been rapid. Gurbaz was introduced in the U-16 team, then U-19, and finally, at the tender age of 16, and with a little over two years of training with the hard ball, he was playing first-class cricket.
A year later, at 17, he would don the Afghanistan jersey. The days of asking friends for kits were long gone. His family was now assured that cricket, too, can be a viable career option.
In the last four years, the sport has taken Gurbaz to various corners of the world – including India – where he has recently represented the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise, Kolkata Knight Riders, with distinction.
Following the triumph, Gurbaz dedicated the remarkable achievement to those suffering in Afghanistan after the recent earthquakes.
“This was a really good moment for us, as we didn’t have any good moments in Afghanistan at the moment. Our focus has been elsewhere, but our boys did really well and brought more happiness to the Afghanistan team and for the public back home,” he said in the post-match press conference.
Back home, in the Afghan city of Khost, Hedayatullah found himself engulfed by a wave of bittersweet emotions.
Now, about the former – that is – the ‘bitter’ part.
As we prepare to call curtains to the conversation, Gurbaz’s childhood friend says “My only regret is that he hasn’t spoken with us in a while.”
“Why so?”
“Maybe, because he lives a great life now and has forgotten about the old times. He does not live in Khost anymore. Comes once in a while – he was here a few months ago. These days, he stays in Kabul and the UAE.”
“But that did not stop the people of Khost from celebrating his remarkable knock against England, did it?”
Perhaps, Gurbaz, and every cricketer who has made it big, has a right to curb ties with roots. For, to break the shackles has always been the goal.
Hedayatullah longs to be reunited with his childhood buddy...
...and spend time together...
...bond over food, spend hours discussing nothing in particular...
...And, perhaps, enjoy a ride. All friends, together.
Like the old days. The old days.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)