 Hours as a friendship tested in time, over thousands of years. From the legends of Mahabharata to the shared sensibilities of Gandhara civilization. From being the primary trading hub and transit route to connect Central Asia with the Indian subcontinent to the humble, peace-loving, rustic traders that continue to come down to the Indian mainland even today. The people of Afghanistan and India have undoubtedly been friends across forever. Our companionship has turned into a commitment of growing together. Cricket became one such surging metaphor of hope for the Afghan youth. The game embodies the expression of freedom and their modes to reach out to the wider world. I was very proud of the game. I was very happy with it. The dream of all the Afghans is to play in IPL. It was a dream of the whole of Afghanistan. The home ground in India has played a major role in shaping their game. The state-of-the-art ground provides the Afghan national cricket team with not just the best of infrastructure in coaching but also gives the players an innate sense of security and homely warmth. It has opened a gate to play at the world's best place for cricket. I would like to thank the BCCI, the Indian government and also the Britain Oil Authority for allowing us to use their territory to use their facility. Deep-rooted cultural ties between the two nations have sustained through the ages. Mainstream Hindi cinema and songs are popular in Afghanistan. The experience is not limited to cricket alone. It is cross-culture within the country. It is cross-culture within countries. It has helped and cultivated a spirit of the game. Cultures in India, North India and Afghanistan are not very different. They speak even the language in India most of the part. So for them it's not a big change and I think this relationship is going from ancient times because Afghanistan is a neighbour country. The extensive Afghan community settled in India would agree to that. They too look forward to India for support. That would help them shape their destiny. The people of Afghanistan are very happy to see this match. And this friendship is even stronger with these players. When I came to Afghanistan, I was very proud of the people of India. I was very proud of the people of India. I was proud of the sport and the education of the sport. And I must thank India for showcasing the talent of the Afghan cricket to the world. We would have not been able to show the talent that we had in Afghanistan without the support of India. What we have observed that whenever they get an opportunity, Afghan players, they do wonders. Which really impressed not only BCCI, but also to the ICC. India and Indians inspire these cricketers in many ways. I was a big fan of Ms. Dhoni. And I wanted to meet her and take pictures with her. I really liked Sachin Tendulkar. And I was very happy to meet him. Playing with some of the biggest legends of cricket, chiseled their game to an even better shape. India has a lot of talent. Both strong characters have shown that with their performances. I didn't feel that they were the first to come to India or that they had put something different from there. They are enjoying it a lot. I think it's a great opportunity. There are a lot of opportunities to augment the relationship between the two countries. Cricket can play a huge role socially and both people to people contribution also. It can enhance and boost the relationship between the two countries. Even the most dedicated talents need a favorable ecosystem to flourish. A stream of support that's committed to continue flowing. Bringing people closer to people. Celebrating the journey called life and remaining friends across forever.