FORT WORTH, Texas — Wednesday in Fort Worth, dozens of young cricket fans got the surprise of a lifetime.
International cricket superstar and T20 World Cup winner Shahid Afridi showed up unannounced to an apartment complex in Fort Worth, which has a significant population of refugees from Afghanistan, a country where cricket is incredibly popular.
"I think this is the best thing we can give back to the community," Afridi told WFAA as he arrived and greeted the over-the-moon kids.
Afridi is in the U.S. to play for the National Cricket League, which hosts its inaugural 11-day, 19-match tournament, Sixty Strikes this week at UT Dallas. The 11-day celebration, billed as "Cricket meets Coachella" by promoters, will not only feature world-class players and Bollywood entertainment but also showcase meaningful themes that resonate far beyond the pitch. Unlike traditional cricket, which can last days, the NCL plays a fast-paced game that typically lasts around 90 minutes.
Afridi is from Pakistan, where the sport is highly popular. He even served as captain for the Pakistani national team from 2009 to 2011. He and the NCL want to grow cricket’s popularity in the U.S. and know there are already big pockets of our community where folks know it - love it - and live it.
"I think most of the people from the subcontinent, they play cricket," Afridi said. "I think they love cricket, in some of the countries cricket is like a religion for them, and they want to play and it’s a big community here in the U.S."
Afridi played cricket and took photos with the kids before heading home to rest up for the tournament.
"I remember myself when I was this age," he told WFAA. "It’s like a dream for some of the people they know me, kids know me from Afghanistan, and they know cricket as well, so I want to share some of my thoughts and why sports are important for kids."
"Happy, I was happy," one child told WFAA after Afridi departed.
"Everyone was rushing to take a picture and video" another said. "I'm a big fan of him."
If you want to watch the National Cricket League's 2024 Sixty Strikes Tournament, you can tune in on WFAA+ from Oct. 4 to Oct. 14! Here's everything you need to know about how to watch.