Meet the Afghan cricketers with Baggy Green dreams: ‘Australia supports us’

Key PointsFarhan Zakhail was the captain of Afghanistan’s squad for the 2020 Under-19 Cricket World Cup and arrived in Australia in September 2022. Farhan has applied for an Australian permanent visa and dreams of playing for Australia. Ahmadullah Fazli was granted a humanitarian visa when the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in August 2021.

Before he arrived in Australia in 2022, Farhan Zakhail, 20, represented Afghanistan’s Under-16 and Under-19 cricket teams on the international stage.

He admits that life “hadn’t been easy” after moving countries but is now “looking up” thanks to the support of Sydney club Western Suburbs – who sponsored his visa application – and the Afghan community.

Initially granted a temporary subclass 408 visa, Zakhail said he was now applying for permanent residency with the support of his club.

“You know, when you come here [Australia] from another country, life is a bit difficult,” he told SBS.

“When I first came, I did not have much information but after spending some time, I began to feel like I was in my own country. I have seen a lot of Afghan people and felt happy.

“The club has supported me like a family and I never felt that I was in a different country and don’t know anyone. All of the boys in the club are friendly and supportive.”

Dreaming of playing for Australia

Zakhail captained Afghanistan’s squad at the 2020 Under-19 Cricket World Cup.

In terms of cricket, there are big differences between his homeland and Australia, he said.

There were more facilities and high-quality cricket grounds available in Australia, he explained, which he hopes will help him advance his game.

“As a cricketer, I am personally striving to perform well wherever I am, whether here [in Australia] or when I was playing cricket in my homeland, Afghanistan,” he said.

“First, I will strive to perform well for my [cricket] club, then play for the state and perform well, play in Big Bash League and then it will be my target to play for Australia.”

Farhan Zakhail during the 2020 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup in South Africa. Credit: Facebook / Farhan Zakhail

He’s not the only one with a dream to one day don the Baggy Green, the iconic cap worn by members of Australia’s cricket team.

Ahmadullah Fazli held aspirations of playing for Afghanistan before the Taliban took control of the country in 2021.

As a result of the turmoil that engulfed the country, he said he had no choice but to leave.

A fast bowler on the pitch, he currently plays for Charlestown Cricket Club in Newcastle.

Over the past nearly two years he has been in Australia, he’s broken into the club’s first-grade team.

“The club is very happy with my performance (and) I also want to progress and reach my goals,” he told SBS.

“I have struggled and strived a lot. I am giving 100 per cent effort to play in the Big Bash League next year.

“I really want to play for Australia at the international level and it will be a great achievement for me.”

Afghan cricketer, Ahmadullah Fazli. Credit: Supplied

Fazli is the brother of a former Australian Defence Forces (ADF) interpreter in Afghanistan and was granted an Australian humanitarian visa when the Taliban took control of the country in August 2021.

He said that in his homeland, he was “living in difficult conditions” and it was difficult to make decisions about his future.

But life in Australia has given him the hunger to take his cricketing aspirations further.

“We are very happy with the Australian government, as they have supported and helped us and continue to do so,” he said.

“Presently, this is our place of residence. Like Afghanistan, we work hard here and do not feel like it is a foreign country.

“They [Australians] have treated us well and we are not ungrateful. Australia has supported us and continues to do so, we will surely repay them when we have settled in.”

Afghan migration to Australia

Since the fall of Kabul (15 August 2021 to 31 December 2023), 16,008 permanent humanitarian visas have been granted to Afghan nationals under the offshore Humanitarian Program.

Approximately, 48,800 offshore Humanitarian visa applications, for over 220,800 Afghan nationals, have been lodged from 15 August 2021 to 31 December 2023.

This story was produced in collaboration with SBS News.

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