Watch: Rashid Khan reveals how tough life in Afghanistan for a cricketer

The emergence of the Afghanistan cricket team was like a fairy tale. With a bunch of talented cricketers, the team proved many critics wrong. For that country, cricket was like a ray of hope. Cricket fans barely can imagine how the life of a cricketer there used to be.

During a recent conversation with former England batter Kevin Pietersen, Rashid Khan, Afghanistan's cricket icon, gives a reflection on the ground reality. Still, Khan is using a personal vehicle in his homeland, Kabul, which is bulletproof. The spin wizard said that when he was young, he dreamt about playing cricket for his country. Because, at that time, for a sportsperson there, it was the most he could dream about.

Because of safety measures, playing or learning cricket in Afghanistan was not an easy task for anyone. "I was not allowed to go and play outside," Rashid Khan said. After all the obstacles, Khan and other cricketers, whom we can now see on screen playing for Afghanistan, somehow manage to cherish one of their bigger dreams.

Read More:'Hat-trick because of Rohit...'— Deepak Chahar reveals how Rohit Sharma's captaincy helped him to bloom as main bowler

For Khan, winning the World Cup is his biggest dream as a cricketer. Khan claimed that the craze for cricket in Afghanistan was unmatchable. He even compared India's love for the sport. Now, as he is now an icon, people in his homeland greet him and want to take a selfie. 

Watch what Rashid Khan said about cricket in Afghanistan 

Meanwhile, taking a step further, the Afghanistan Cricket Board has announced the launch of a new franchise-based T20 tournament, the Afghanistan Premier League (APL). The APL will feature five city-based franchises and is expected to have its player draft around June-July 2026. 

"The inaugural season will feature five city-based franchises, bringing together Afghanistan's leading national players alongside prominent overseas professionals and emerging local talent," the ACB said in a press release.