Afghanistan's tricolour national flag no longer holds official status in the war-ravaged country under Taliban rule, but the national cricket team has kept it high in the international arena to the delight of their supporters in Australia.
The youngest member of the global cricketing family, Afghanistan is playing in Australia during October and November, taking on the mighty powerhouses of the game in the T20 World Cup.
It's their first trip here since 2015.
With the Afghan team set to begin their campaign today against England, Melbourne's south-eastern suburbs have been buzzing with excitement.
The cities of Dandenong and Casey are home to Australia's largest Afghan community, and for many of them cricket is a way of connecting with the local culture.
Ziauddin Zia, who captains a community squad in Fountain Gate, told the ABC the participation of Afghanistan in the high-profile tournament meant a great deal to the Afghan diaspora.
"Afghans in Australia and everywhere are all super excited," said Mr Zia.
"I have booked tickets for all the games in Adelaide, Melbourne and Brisbane, and will be hosting my brothers and cousins coming from the US for the matches."
Healing wounds
Mr Zia said the sport was helping heal and console the recently arrived Afghan refugees reeling from the stress and trauma of decades of wars and the return of the Taliban to power last year.
"All of them have gone through personal pain and some are still coping with being split and separated from their families that are waiting for visas," he said.
"Cricket is keeping them happy and busy."
In the wake of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Taliban's arrival in Kabul, the Australian government offered sanctuary to thousands of Afghans fearing persecution in their home country.
Jalal Ahmadzai, one of the beneficiaries of Australia's Humanitarian Program, is looking forward to seeing the emerging cricket stars from Afghanistan like Rashid Khan, Rehmanullah Gurbaz and Fazalhaq Faruqi.
Residing in the northern Melbourne suburb of Craigieburn, Mr Ahmadzai said his entire family was excited to have the Afghan team coming to Australia.
"We have been lucky to have exceptional talent in cricket and it brings smiles to the faces of our people when they compete against major teams," said Mr Ahmadzai, who fled Kabul in August just before the city fell to the Taliban.
Since then, the Taliban have banned the national anthem and replaced the tricolour flag of Afghanistan with a new flag featuring a black declaration of faith on a white background.
"When the cricket team holds up the Afghan national flag while the national anthem is played on international grounds it gives us a sense of pride and shows to the world that Afghanistan is not just about war and suffering," said Mr Ahmadzai, adding that talented cricketers from the war-ravaged country have provided a positive image of the country.
'It is a pity that we are not playing'
Joy at being able to see their countrymen play is somewhat tempered for many Afghan cricket fans by the fact that Afghanistan no longer has a women's cricket team.
After the Taliban returned to power, a member of the team was reportedly threatened with execution if she continued to play and several fled the country to Canada and Australia.
The Taliban have since given mixed messages on whether they would allow women to play professionally.
A national cricket team member now based in Melbourne, who asked for her name to be withheld, told the ABC she and her teammates were preparing for a comeback.
"It is a pity that we are not playing but I am so excited and happy that I can at least watch matches live in the stadium and I can follow my team," she said.
Zohal Meraj, who enjoys playing cricket with her father and brother in Melbourne, will also be cheering the "Blue Tigers" wherever they go during the T20 World Cup.
"I would dearly like to see our female team as well," said Ms Meraj.
Gharsa Ghazal, Sydney-based psychological therapist, said she would be flying down with three other Afghan women to see Afghanistan play New Zealand at the MCG.
"The Afghan girls who are interested in cricket have so much freedom, resources and opportunities available in Australia compared to Afghanistan to take on cricket and excel in it," she said.
Molina Asthana, a board member of AMES Australia which helped resettle some of the women cricketers here, said she was impressed with their talent and enthusiasm.
"They are so excited and eager to start playing again," she said.
A rising cricket power?
During the Taliban's earlier rule in the 1990s, Afghan cricket was nurtured by refugees picking up the game in Pakistan.
Closely following the Afghanistan team from its early days, local commentator and former media manager of the Afghanistan Cricket Board, Ibrahim Momand, told the ABC the Afghans have brought a new life and flare to the game.
"I can think of no other team with such a steady and rapid growth and fan following as Afghanistan has secured in the past few years in all formats of cricket," he said.
Ever since its early days, Afghanistan has steadily risen in fame and ranks by securing full membership of the International Cricket Council in 2017.
Amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, Mr Momand said the people had pinned their hopes for some good news on the cricketers.
Players from Afghanistan such as Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi and Rehmanullah Gurbaz are now big names thanks to their participation and performances in many commercial leagues, including the Big Bash.
Nonetheless, veteran Australian cricket writer and commentator Gideon Haigh said the young Afghan squad had a tough task ahead of them.
"They are going to struggle to make up the difference," he said.
"That said, they have got a handful of world class players and we know the impact a world class player can have in the shorter formats."
But for the Afghan-Aussies, winning or losing doesn't matter at this early stage for their national cricket team.
"At the end of the day, it is all about getting experience and utilising the opportunity of playing against big teams," said Mr Ahmadzai.
"Win or lose, we are proud of the team."
