Ahmadzai, who is currently in South Africa with his team to play in the ICC World Cup Qualifiers is a proud man. To him, the game is not just about the fame and the dough it brings but a wee bit more than that.
"I am very happy to play for my country. Cricket has helped people change their perception towards Afghanistan."
Probe him a little further and he yields: "We were always looked at differently with the current scenario in our country. People always looked at us suspiciously. They thought we were a violent lot and wondered how we dressed and how we ate.
But when we stepped out to play cricket, people saw we loved the game and our passion for it was just as high as theirs."
Ahmadzai, a big fan of former Pakistani opener Aamir Sohail and England all-rounder Owais Shah said he was sure the day was not far when his team could play with international stars.
"We have started mingling with players who we grew up watching on TV and God willing, we would soon play with them in the international arena."
And his dream might not be very unrealistic. Six teams from the ICC World Cup Qualifiers would get to play ODI's for the next one year while the top six would qualify for the World Cup.
Ahmadzai understands playing for Afghanisthan means a lot.
"We are ambassadors of peace. Back home, we have never met with any resistance playing cricket."
The young batsman hopes some day the situation would change for Afghan players and they would be rubbing shoulders with the best in business.
The emotions are running high and the hint of intensity in the voice is unmistakable.
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