Adnan Miakhel, an 18-year-old Afghan refugee, has been getting a lot of attention after his recent debut for Lancashire’s Second XI. His journey from Afghanistan to the UK – as with many of his peers – has been arduous, dangerous and harrowing. His love for cricket and his unrelenting grit has seen him arrive at this big milestone. Adnan came to the UK in 2021 after fleeing his home country and travelling alone through Europe.
After seeking asylum at a Northern Preston police station, Adnan’s asylum application was initially denied. Yet his hard work was rewarded when his second asylum application succeeded in 2022. His winning application allowed him to be accepted into Rossall School, a prestigious, competitive boarding school in Lancashire. There, he would have the opportunity to learn and develop his talent on a global stage.
Adnan’s talent on the field has not gone unnoticed. He played for Lancashire’s Under-18 team before making his debut for the Second XI. In his debut game, he made 25 not out and took two wickets as a left-arm pace bowler. So far, Adnan has been putting on a dazzling performance all match long. He will be absent on the last day against Yorkshire due to a school GCSE exam.
At every stage, Adnan has been extremely thankful for the support he has received on this journey. Through social media, he opened up about his journey. Some trips are farther and more difficult,” he said, conveying “You can’t even imagine how happy I am. He thanked those who have helped him along the way, saying, “Thank you very much to anyone that helped me and supported me in my cricketing journey so far thank you.”
His story has touched the hearts of other famous cricketers, including Andrew Flintoff and inspirational cricketer Barry Brocklehurst. Flintoff tweeted that he was proud of Adnan’s success, adding, “I’m so proud of this fine young man.” Brocklehurst has been instrumental in helping Adnan hone his cricket skills. Specifically, Tarik pointed out some of the barriers Adnan faced when he moved to the UK.
“He walked through the door and was wearing a pair of jeans, holding a belt and a tatty pair of trainers,” – Elaine Jefferson
Brocklehurst remembered just how scared an Adnan was when he first got here, the difficulty he had with language and fitting in during those early days.
“He stood there and couldn’t speak a word of English. He was terrified,” – Elaine Jefferson
Brocklehurst further affirmed Adnan’s dedication to the sport: “He is cricket mad but needed something different, to be training hard. That is exactly what he has done. He has worked extremely hard.” He said some nice things about Adnan’s potential – though you can be sure that he was a little biased.
“I think he is good enough but I might be biased,” – Barry Brocklehurst
Adnan Miakhel’s journey is a testament, not just to the grit of the world’s young refugees, but the life-changing potential of sports. His ultimate ambition is to one day play cricket at a professional level in England. With dogged determination and ongoing support, he’s on a hopeful trajectory to get it done.
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