Local Afghan community to rally around national side in historic Test clash against Australia

Tasmania’s local Afghan community will be out in full force cheering on their national heroes when the Test side clashes with Australia for the first time in Hobart later this year.

• Test cricket returns to Hobart with historic fixture
• Cricket not feeling threatened by new summer rival

TICKETS for the historic first Test between Australia and Afghanistan go on sale today – and it won’t take long for some to snaffle their seats.

The Australian summer of cricket will kick off at Blundstone Arena from November 27, where Test captain Tim Paine will finally realise a lifelong dream of playing for his country on home soil.

Expats including Hadi Rezaie, Amin Safa and Zohreh Jafari will be cheering on the visiting nation, excited to get the opportunity to see some of their heroes representing their nation up close.

“It is very exciting, I have followed Qais Ahmad when he was here with the Hurricanes and it makes us all proud of the other cricketers who play for other BBL teams,” said Rezaie, who spent time in detention centres and Christmas Island when he first arrived in Australia in 2013 but has since worked at AFL Tasmania and now transport company Stateline Freight.

“Now the national teams is coming to Australia, playing Australia and it is another exciting journey for the Afghan national team and also the Afghan community who live in Tassie.

“They’re so excited to go and watch the game.”

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The one-off clash, which will be a key lead-in for Australia’s defence of the Ashes against England, will be the first Test in Hobart in five years.

Cricket Tasmania chief Dominic Baker is urging locals who have been starved of international red ball cricket to vote with their feet and support the contest.

“I’m thrilled that this huge Australian summer of cricket is kicking off right here at Blundstone Arena,” Baker said.

“We’ll have Australia captained by local Lauderdale boy Tim Paine leading some of the world’s best players, up against Afghanistan, an emerging cricket nation who play an exciting style of cricket and will be coming fresh from the T20 World Cup.”

Adult tickets start at $30.

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