Hashmatullah Shahidi

Some Lesser Known Facts About Hashmatullah Shahidi

• Hashmatullah Shahidi is an Afghani cricketer who has also served as captain of the national test and ODI team of Afghanistan in several tournaments including the 2023 ODI World Cup.

• When he was a child, his father introduced him to cricket, and at the age of 9, he started playing in local tournaments. His father was impressed with his style of play, hence, he got him enrolled at a cricket academy in Kabul where he started his cricket training.

  

• Since the 2017-18 first-class season, Shahidi has played for the Band-e-Amir region.

• In the 2017 List A season, he played for the Speen Ghar region, from the 2018 to 2020 seasons, he played for the Band-e-Amir region, and Maiwand Defenders from the 2022 List A season.

  

• In the 2014 T20 season, he played for Amo Region, from 2014 to 2016 T20 seasons, he played for Band-e-Amir Dragons and Afghanistan Cricket Board Development Squad and Kabul in the 2016 T20 season. In the 2021 Kamal Khan Dam Trophy, he played for Kamal Khan Dam Builders and scored his first T20 century with 102 runs off 52 balls.

  

• In 2008, he was selected for the Afghanistan Under-17 team. In 2009, he played for the Afghanistan Under-19 team and also played in the 2010 Under-19 World Cup. In 2014, he played for Afghanistan A.

  

• On 15 March 2019, he scored his first test fifty with a score of 61 runs in the first innings against Ireland. On 10 March 2021, he scored 200 runs not out against Zimbabwe and became the first Afghan batsman to score a double century in a test.
  

  

• On 25 September 2016, he made his first ODI half-century with 72 runs against Bangladesh.

• In the 2019 ODI World Cup, he scored 197 runs in 8 matches at an average of 24.63 with the highest score of 76 against England at Old Trafford.

  

• In June 2021, he became the captain of the test and ODI team of Afghanistan. He captained Afghanistan in the 2022 and 2023 Asia Cup and the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup.

  

• In the 2017 Shpageeza Cricket League (SCL) season, he played for the Kabul Eagles, for Boost Defenders in the 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022 seasons, and for MIS Ainak Knights in the 2020 SCL season.

  

• In the 2017 Peace Cricket League (PCL) season, he played for Bost Atlan. In the 2018 Afghanistan Premier League, he played for Nangarhar Leopards. In the 2022 season of the Nepal T20 League, Shahidi played for Far West United.

  

• In the 2019 ODI World Cup, Hashmatullah was hit on the head by a bouncer from England pace bowler Mark Wood. He also fell on the ground, and his helmet developed a crack due to the impact following which the team doctors asked him to get retired hurt; however, he continued to bat. While talking to the media after the match, he said that he got off the ground and continued batting because his mother was watching the match and his brother was also present on the ground. ^[1]Onmanorama

  

• Afghanistan’s leading telecommunications company, Etisalat, chose Shahidi as its brand ambassador in November 2022.

  

• He is a wildlife lover and often visits the animal parks in Afghanistan and other countries.

  

• Hashmatullah has donated food items to the victims of the terrorist attacks on various occasions and often participates in social campaigns.