Rahmanullah Gurbaz: Balancing Cricketing Prowess with Humanitarian Spirit

Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who is in his second season with the Kolkata Knight Riders, prefers to concentrate on playing correct cricket shots rather than taking unnecessary risks. The Afghanistan keeper-batter will only try scoops, lap shots, and other fancy stuff when conditions allow.

Gurbaz, who typically leads the innings, focused more on conventional strokes during last year's ODI World Cup. He finished with 280 runs, including two fifties, at an average of 31.11 and a strike rate of 98.93.

"You have to play accurate cricket shots at all times. You can't just carry on acting like the naughty ones.

"Yes, you need to have several choices, but I have to be able to play solid cricket shots as the opener. In the end, if the team needs it, I can try them (cheesy shots)," Gurbaz stated, hoping for a good IPL to get ready for the T20 World Cup in June.

"We have a fantastic opportunity to be ready for the T20 World Cup, which starts nearly immediately after the IPL. Therefore, Gurbaz said, "We're fortunate that the IPL is here because it gives us a good opportunity to be ready for the World Cup."

Gurbaz feels that having Gautam Gambhir as the Knights' mentor will help him improve as a batsman. "Gambhir Sir is among the most knowledgeable individuals in the area. So I can go to him and ask for advice whenever I need it.

I believe that right now I am well-prepared and have the flexibility to adapt to various situations. In cricket, there are moments when you are unable to score in particular circumstances. But we may turn to our knowledgeable coaches at KKR.

Gurbaz's confidence is growing since he holds the record for most international centuries for Afghanistan with seven—six in One-Day Internationals and one in Twenty20 Internationals. For the 22-year-old, "nothing is impossible" as long as he is ready to put in the necessary effort.

For the impoverished

Gurbaz didn't have enough money for even the most basic cricket gear when he was a young lad with aspirations of being well-known and famous in the sport. His recollections of those times are still vivid, which is why he considers it a top priority to help the underprivileged, as he did for the homeless at the previous Diwali in Ahmedabad and during the country's earthquakes in 2023.

For Gurbaz, being a decent person is extremely important. Since we are all human, we ought to support one another. There is a great deal of poverty in our nation, and I was one of them. At one point, I didn't even have ten rupees on me... Not enough money to buy my gloves and bat.

However, if you succeed and are in a position to assist others, you ought to... I thus constantly strive to assist people and provide them joy. That's the main focus of my existence. Since everyone knows that life could end at any moment.

This feels to me like an exam that I need to do well on in order to guarantee that others can pass it as well. Regarding Afghanistan, we are aware of the difficulties faced by our countrymen there. Gurbaz stated, "In these situations, we should help them and we should step up."

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