Afghanistan’s cricket sensation, Rashid Khan, has announced his noble gesture of donating his match fees from the ICC Cricket World Cup to support the victims of the recent devastating earthquake in his homeland. The powerful 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck Herat in western Afghanistan, resulting in a tragic loss of more than 2,400 lives, with over 2,000 individuals injured and at least 1,300 homes destroyed. This calamity occurred just 16 months after another major earthquake hit the country in June 2022, claiming a thousand lives.

Rashid Khan, who captains Afghanistan’s T20 team and is a prominent sporting figure from the nation, has consistently shown a deep commitment to the welfare of his fellow countrymen. Now, in this critical time, he has pledged his support to help Afghanistan recover from this disaster.

In a heartfelt message on social media, Rashid Khan, who is currently in India for the Cricket World Cup, expressed his profound sadness over the earthquake’s devastation and his determination to assist the victims. 

He stated, “I learned with great sadness about the tragic consequences of the earthquake that struck the western provinces (Herat, Farah, and Badghis) of Afghanistan. 

I learned with great sadness about the tragic consequences of the earthquake that struck the western provinces (Herat, Farah, and Badghis) of Afghanistan.
I am donating all of my #CWC23 match fees to help the affected people.
Soon, we will be launching a fundraising campaign to… pic.twitter.com/dHAO1IGQlq

— Rashid Khan (@rashidkhan_19) October 8, 2023

I am donating all of my #CWC23 match fees to help the affected people. Soon, we will be launching a fundraising campaign to call upon those who can support the people in need.”

The initial earthquake, which struck on October 7, was followed by eight strong aftershocks, multiplying the damage. Rescue teams are on the ground in Herat province, where the earthquake’s epicenter was located, providing much-needed relief to survivors.

On the same day as the earthquake, Afghanistan commenced their World Cup campaign with a match against Bangladesh, but they faced defeat. Despite being asked to bat first, they managed to score just 156 runs before being bowled out in 37.3 overs. Opening batsman Rahmanullah Gurbaz was the highest scorer for Afghanistan with a knock of 47 off 62 balls.

Rashid Khan, known for his all-round abilities, contributed only 9 runs from 16 balls before being bowled by Bangladesh’s Mehidy Hasan. In the second innings, the leg spinner remained wicketless in his 9-over spell, conceding 48 runs.

Afghanistan’s next match in the 2023 World Cup is against hosts India on October 11 at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium.