Rahmanullah Gurbaz has said something that very few cricketers would ever admit in public — that the pain of losing to Pakistan in 2022 was so deep that people in Afghanistan took their own lives. It is a raw, honest insight into just how much cricket, and especially this rivalry, means back home.

The Match That Still Haunts Gurbaz

The game in question is the Asia Cup 2022 Super 4 clash in Sharjah, and anyone who watched it knows why it still stings for Afghanistan fans. Afghanistan had Pakistan in serious trouble — at one point, the chase had Pakistan at 118 for 9, needing 13 runs from the last over with only their number 10 and 11 at the crease.

Then came the moment no one saw coming. Naseem Shah, batting at number 11, smashed Fazalhaq Farooqi for two consecutive sixes off the first two balls of the final over to seal a one-wicket win for Pakistan. Afghanistan, who had bowled brilliantly, walked off the field in disbelief. Pakistan went on to the final. Afghanistan went home.

What Gurbaz Said

In a recent interview with Shubhankar Mishra, Gurbaz opened up about how that defeat landed back in Afghanistan.

“For me, the most heartbreaking match was the loss against Pakistan in the 2022 Asia Cup. People back home were very hurt. Many people cried. Here, people committed suicide. We have many emotional people here. We also get hurt as we play for people here.”

The wicketkeeper-batter said that walking into Sharjah Stadium still takes him back to that night.

“As I am talking to you about that match, I can still recall the sad memories. Whenever I walk into the Sharjah Stadium, I am reminded of that heartbreaking loss. I still think about how we lost that game, which we should have won. We didn’t bat well, but we bowled nicely. But in the end, we lost.”

No Personal Grudge, But the Fans Want a Win

Despite the emotion, Gurbaz was clear that he holds nothing against Pakistan’s players personally. For him, the rivalry is about the people of Afghanistan and what a win means to them.

“We are cricketers. We play for people here in Afghanistan. Our happiness lies in our people’s happiness. If you ask people here about the most memorable game, they would tell you about the 2023 ODI World Cup win against Pakistan.”

That 2023 ODI World Cup win, where Afghanistan beat Pakistan in a group stage match, remains one of the most celebrated moments in Afghan cricket history. It showed how quickly cricket can shift from heartbreak to joy in that part of the world.

“As a cricketer, I don’t have any personal grudges against any other cricketer. Our fans here want us to defeat Pakistan at all times.”

A Rivalry Unlike Any Other

The Afghanistan–Pakistan cricket rivalry has a very different emotional weight compared to most contests in the sport. For Afghanistan fans, many of whom have lived through decades of conflict and difficulty, cricket is not just a game — it is identity and pride. Beating Pakistan, their much bigger and more established cricketing neighbour, carries an emotional charge that goes well beyond scoreboards.

Gurbaz’s words are a reminder of that. He did not say them to create controversy — he said them because it is the truth of what his people felt that night in Sharjah. That kind of cricket rivalry does not need trash talk or sledging on the field. The stakes are already sky high before a ball is bowled.