| schema:text
| - Fact Check: Afghanistan does have a T20 sponsor, moving tale of Taliban deprivation misleading
A message circulating on social media claimed that Taliban has refused to sponsor the Afghan cricket team for the T20 World Cup and it is their captain Mohammad Nabi who is bearing the entire team's expenditure. .
Listen to Story
India Today Fact Check
Fact: The Taliban takeover has clouded the future of Afghan cricket. However, for the T20 World Cup, 'Sediki Grup' is the official sponsor of the Afghan cricket team. In an email to AFWA, Nabi denied the viral claim and called it fake.
India will face a feisty Afghanistan on Wednesday at the ICC T20 World Cup. Afghanistan has so far registered thumping victories against Scotland and Namibia, and lost to Pakistan in a close contest.
Amid this, a message circulating on social media claims that the Taliban has refused to sponsor the Afghan cricket team for the T20 World Cup and it is their captain Mohammad Nabi who is bearing the entire team's expenditure.
It is true that concerns were raised over the future of Afghan cricket since the Taliban takeover, which the Islamist group has tried to allay. However, for the T20 World Cup, 'Sediki Grup' is the official sponsor of the Afghan cricket team. In an email to AFWA, Nabi also denied the viral claim and called it fake.
The archived versions of the viral posts can be seen here and here.
AFWA probe
On October 14, the Afghanistan Cricket Board tweeted that the Sediki Grup (https://sedikigrup.com/) has officially secured the team's sponsorship rights for the ICC T20 World Cup 2021. They had won the bid with a whopping $450,000.
#SedikiGrup officially secures the Afghan National team’s Sponsorship rights for the ICC T20 World Cup 2021. Having won as the highest bidder with $450,000.00 Sidiki Grup is the official sponsor of the Afghanistan National Team.
More about SG: https://t.co/XlxtLF2TzJ pic.twitter.com/8Z4kJ6IDjd — Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) October 14, 2021
AFWA contacted Afghan skipper Mohammad Nabi through email. Sports and media management company Big Star Creations, which manages Nabi's portfolio, responded on behalf of the cricketer, calling the viral message fake.
Taliban's 'love' for cricket
For a country steeped in crisis, the cricketing victories over Scotland and Namibia provided some relief to the common Afghans. Even Suhail Shaheen, the Taliban spokesperson and its representative to the United Nations, congratulated the team after they beat Namibia on October 31.
Champions of the Afghanistan’s Cricket Team won by great difference against Namibia in World Twenty20. Congratulations to you heroes and all the Afghan nation .
Wishing you more success! — Suhail Shaheen. (@suhailshaheen1) October 31, 2021
The Taliban's aversion to sporting activities is well known to all. This is the reason their takeover of Afghanistan clouded the future of their cricket team. However, the Islamist group had assured to support cricket and address the concerns of players.
Please share it on our at 73 7000 7000
You can also send us an email at factcheck@intoday.com
|
![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)
![[cxml]](/fct/images/cxml_doc.png)
![[csv]](/fct/images/csv_doc.png)
![[text]](/fct/images/ntriples_doc.png)
![[turtle]](/fct/images/n3turtle_doc.png)
![[ld+json]](/fct/images/jsonld_doc.png)
![[rdf+json]](/fct/images/json_doc.png)
![[rdf+xml]](/fct/images/xml_doc.png)
![[atom+xml]](/fct/images/atom_doc.png)
![[html]](/fct/images/html_doc.png)