NEW DELHI: Afghanistan skipper Rashid Khan has been grieving a personal tragedy after the death of his elder brother, Haji Abdul Halim Shinwari, last week. The 26-year-old star cricketer, who is currently leading Afghanistan in the ongoing tri-series in Sharjah, received an outpouring of support from across the cricketing community, including a touching tribute from the Pakistan team.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!In a viral video that surfaced after the first T20I between Pakistan and Afghanistan on Friday, Babar Azam’s side was seen paying respects to Rashid’s late brother, a gesture that has drawn praise from fans.Watch:Pakistan team offers condolences on the death of Rashid Khan’s elder brotherAfghanistan teammates were among the first to share the heartbreaking news on social media. Opener Ibrahim Zadran posted on X: “Saddened to hear about the passing of Rashid Khan’s elder brother Haji Abdul Halim. An elder brother is like a father to the family. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un. My heartfelt condolences to @rashidkhan_19 and his family.”
Former Afghanistan captain Asghar Afghan also expressed grief: “It is with deep sorrow that I learned of the passing of the elder brother of @rashidkhan_19 (Haji Abdul Halim Shinwari). May Allah grant him the highest ranks of Paradise (Jannat al-Firdaus) and bestow beautiful patience upon their esteemed family. Ameen.”
The condolences came even as Rashid turned out for Afghanistan in the tri-nation opener. Pakistan posted 182/7 and bowled Afghanistan out for 143, sealing a 39-run win. Rashid, despite his grief, fought valiantly with a late cameo of 39 off 16 balls.For Afghanistan, however, the result was overshadowed by their captain’s personal loss — one the cricketing world has united in mourning.
