Pakistan had defeated Afghanistan by one wicket in 2022 Asia Cup game.
Afghanistan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz revealed a harrowing tale of emotional fans taking things to extremes and committing suicide when the team lost a close game to Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2022 in the UAE.
In an interview with Shubhankar Mishra, Gurbaz expressed his disbelief that his team lost the game despite being overwhelming favorites.
Pakistan needed 11 runs from the final over to win with only one wicket in hand. However, Naseem Shah hit Fazalhaq Farooqi for back-to-back sixes on the first two balls of the game's last over to secure victory.
After the loss, the Afghan players were devastated, and gloomy expressions could be seen everywhere. Four years later, Gurbaz described how the loss had left him devastated, and he disclosed that fans back home had even taken the extreme step of ending their lives because they were unable to accept defeat.
“For me, the most heartbreaking match was the loss against Pakistan in the 2022 Asia Cup. People back home were very hurt. Many people cried. Here, people committed suicide. We have many emotional people here. We also get hurt as we play for people here.
As I am talking to you about that match, I can still recall the sad memories. Whenever I walk into the Sharjah Stadium, I am reminded of that heartbreaking loss. I still think about how we lost that game, which we should have won. We didn't bat well, but we bowled nicely. But in the end, we lost,” Gurbaz told Shubhankar Mishra on his YouTube channel.
Afghanistan batted first, scoring 129/6 in the allocated 20 overs. Pakistan were reduced to 110/8 at one point, but a late blitz by Asif Ali and Naseem sealed the victory.
However, Afghanistan managed to avenge that loss at the biggest stage of them all, when they defeated Pakistan in the ICC World Cup 2023 league game.
Gurbaz stated that he had nothing personal against Pakistani players; yet, the rivalry is important to him, as a victory over Pakistan holds special meaning for all Afghan supporters.
“We are cricketers. We play for people here in Afghanistan. Our happiness lies in our people's happiness. If you ask people here about the most memorable game, they would tell you about the 2023 ODI World Cup win against Pakistan. As a cricketer, I don't have any personal grudges against any other cricketer. Our fans here want us to defeat Pakistan at all times,” he added.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz was recently signed by Peshawar Zalmi for the upcoming Pakistan Super League (PSL 2026). However, the keeper-batter pulled out of the competition, citing personal commitments.