When playing cricket puts a target on your back.
A gallery of light & dark moments—Afghanistan before the fall and the urgent fight to escape. Cricket was once just a game; now, it marked them as targets. Border crossings, last-minute evacuations, and the uncertainty of what came next.
Then, Australia—a new place, new struggles, but the same determination to keep playing. These photographs are proof of what they left behind and what they’re still fighting for.
Team Captain, Nahida Sapan with the spoils.
Sadaf Mohammadi having her moment at the Afghanistan Cricket Board.
The team, outside the Afghanistan Cricket Board.
Front row, Nazifa Hamdani, Firooza Amiri and behind Firooza, Shafiqa Khan Noorzai
The Herat Team in 2019, during the Trophy Tour in Afghanistan.
Tooba Khan Sarwari, in motion.
The Noori Sister, Shukria and Zia.
Every now and then we come across comments questioning whether our players are the real deal. Well — here’s your proof! That’s them at the Afghanistan Cricket Board: captain Nahida Sapan, Sadaf Mohammadi, and a few of the Noori sisters in the mix.
2019, The Herat Team (left) and the Kabul team.
2019, Outside the Kabul Airport, heading home after having won the trophy in Herat.
Kabul’s airports fell silent as the Taliban took control—flights grounded, escape routes cut off, and fear taking hold. For our female cricketers, the path to freedom vanished overnight.
Diana Barakzai, the original team coach, with her 10 month old child on her lap. Diana was breast feeding her during the evacuation.
Fleeing to Pakistan through Torkham.
Arriving in Australia with Mel Jones leading the way.
Precious reunion. From left to right, Nazifa Hamdani, Firooza Amiri hugging Shafiqa Khan Noorzai and Tooba Khan Sarwari
