Afghanistan cricketer Mohammed Mujtaba top of the class

Batsman scores 75 in win over Australia, but he concedes he is not content with development on field as he takes English lessons seriously, writes Amith Passela.

Mohammed Mujtaba, who top-scored against Australia in Abu Dhabi on Monday, moved from Lashkar to Kabul to pursue a cricket career. Pal Pillai / Getty Images

ABU DHABI // Mohammed Mujtaba dropped out of school at 15 to pursue a full-time cricket career. However, he knew the importance of the English-language lessons that would go hand in glove for the path ahead.

The occasion arrived when he spoke at length after collecting the man-of-the-match award for his top-score of 75 for Afghanistan, which registered a win over Australia in the ICC Under 19 World Cup at the Nursery Oval on Monday.

“I knew proficiency in the English language will be very useful to me to give interviews when I play cricket and perform for the national team,” said Mujtaba, now 18. “Even back at home, I would strike conversation in English with my brothers and sisters, and with all those who speak the language, in order to improve my English. And even took private lessons.”

Mujtaba hails from a middle-class family in Lashkar, but moved to Kabul to pursue in a career in cricket.

“My parents always insisted education as my first priority.

“Instead I choose to play cricket full time, because I loved the game and I thought I had a little bit of talent,” the left-handed opener said.

“None of the family members, three brothers and three sisters, are in sports. My father couldn’t stop me from playing cricket, so he advised me to continue cricket after studies.

“I was a bit adamant, because if I didn’t put all my efforts on cricket, I would miss the opportunity to be selected for the national age-group team. So I left home at an early age.”

Mujtaba wants to prove his worth at the U19 World Cup with some good performances and hopes to play for the senior national team.

“I am hopeful cricket can provide me a decent living if the political situation improves. If not, I can always go back to my studies and look for something else for a living.”

Mujtaba was the top scorer with 47 for his side in a 10-wicket loss to Bangladesh in their opening Group B match and will be seeking to take the momentum forward when the team face Namibia in their final group game on Wednesday.

“We have worked really hard for the last eight months to prepare for the U19 World Cup and it is beginning to pay off,” he said.

“This is only the beginning, because our objective is to go as long as we can in this competition.

“At the age-group level, I don’t see much difference between the teams. It is the team that plays well on that day. Today, we executed the coach’s plan more accurately than the previous game to defeat Australia.”

After recording their first U19 victory, Mujtaba believes the team has a great chance of emerging from the pool-play stage.

Then again, so do two of the other teams in the grouping, he said.