Karachi – Afghanistan’s cricketer Rahmanullah Gurbaz has expressed his surprise at the massive crowd support in Karachi for Afghanistan vs South Africa, saying it felt as if they were playing at home.
Speaking in the mixed zone of National Stadium Karachi after the Champions Trophy 2025 match against South Africa, Rahmanullah Gurbaz said, “First of all, I would like to thank the crowd for their incredible support. We did not expect such a large number of fans; it truly felt like we were playing in our own country. The stadium in Karachi was completely packed, and the support was phenomenal. We hope that one day we will be able to play cricket in our own country as well.”
Read: Champions Trophy: South Africa Defeats Afghanistan by 107 Runs
He further added, “The match was there for everyone to see. We know what mistakes we made. We will take the positives forward and leave the negatives behind.”
The Afghan cricketer also commented on the pitch conditions, saying, “Karachi’s wicket today was completely different from what we expected. We were expecting a slower track, but as professionals, we must be ready for all kinds of pitches. This was the first time I saw such a pitch in Pakistan, especially in Karachi.”
Rahmanullah Gurbaz highlighted Afghanistan’s cricketing progress, stating, “Afghanistan has defeated every team in the world. If we win, it is not an upset anymore. We haven’t just beaten one or two teams; we have defeated all of them. Our bowling attack is strong, but our batters are also highly capable. Rahmat Shah played well today, and if another batter had supported him, it could have made a difference.”
He concluded by saying, “Strong teams always make strong comebacks, and so will we. We still have two matches left, and our chances are still alive.”
It is worth noting that South Africa made a strong start in the ICC Champions Trophy, defeating Afghanistan by 107 runs in their Group B match.
“If Someone Had Stayed with Rahmat, the Result Could Have Been Different”: Jonathan Trott
Afghanistan’s head coach Jonathan Trott echoed similar sentiments, saying that if Rahmat Shah had received better support from another batter, the outcome could have been different.
Speaking at the post-match press conference after Afghanistan’s 107-run loss to South Africa in Karachi, Trott said, “We should have restricted them to a lower total. We didn’t get the start we needed. South Africa’s batters played well, but we also conceded too many runs. We know what mistakes we need to rectify in the upcoming matches.”
He emphasized the importance of improving fielding, saying, “We received great support from the crowd in Karachi, and we hope for the same in Lahore. South Africa bowled well, but we also lost wickets due to our own mistakes. We need to perform better with the new ball and take wickets during the powerplay.”
Trott concluded, “If someone had supported Rahmat at the crease, we could have produced a better result. The middle order also needs to take more responsibility.”
