‘Far greater than any century’: Shashi Tharoor on Afghan cricketer Rahmanullah Gurbaz's kind gesture before Diwali

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor is bowled over Afghan cricketer Rahmanullah Gurbaz's kindness act ahead of Diwali when he gave away cash and gifts to the homeless and people on the streets of Ahmedabad. In a viral video, Gurbaz can be seen walking down the streets of Ahmedabad and keeping cash near individuals resting on the pavement. Gurbaz, known for his excellent batting skills this World Cup, was widely praised for his gesture. 

Praising his efforts a day before Diwali, which is one of the biggest festivals in India, Tharoor on Monday lauded him and said "far greater than any century he might score".

Sharing a video of Gurbaz on X, which has now gone viral, Tharoor posted: "Just amazing act of kindness by Afghan batsman Rahmatullah Gurbaz to pavement dwellers in Ahmedabad after his last match. Far greater than any century he might score — and may he score many! Long may his career thrive, along with his heart."

New Zealand left-hand batter Rachin Ravindra also shared the viral video on X (formerly Twitter) and praised Gurbaz's efforts to help the needy discreetly. "These Afghanistan Boys are pure gold, such kind hearted cricketers. No wonder they are being loved so much in india. Winning hearts on and off the field in India." Ravindra posted on Sunday.

The cricketer was first spotted by entertainer RJ Love Shah outside his home at 3 am in the morning in Ahmedabad, where Gurbaz was seen putting money next to the homeless as they slept.

Kolkata Knight Riders shared the same video and captioned it as angels from Afghanistan. "RJ Love Shah spotted 
@RGurbaz_21 near his home in Ahmedabad, quietly spreading some love ahead of Diwali, hours before the Afghanistan team returned home after their heartwarming World Cup journey ended on Friday night," the post read.

Gurbaz has already played two seasons of the Indian Premier League with the Gujarat Titans and Kolkata Knight Riders. 

Afghanistan were the surprise packets of the 2023 World Cup and were one of the top contenders of being the semifinalists in the knockout round. They were evicted on Friday after they lost their last league match against Australia. Gurbaz scored 280 runs in nine matches with an average of 31.11 and a strike rate of 98.93.

Also read: ‘What a true gentleman’: Sourav Ganguly wins hearts for warm words on Pakistani cricket

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