Afghanistan cricketer Rashid Khan has pledged to donate all of his match fees from the upcoming ODI World Cup in India to earthquake victims in his hometown, following the country’s tragic earthquake on Saturday (Oct 7). An earthquake of a magnitude of 6.3 happened northwest of the city of Heart, causing havoc in Farah and Badghis as well as more than 2000 injuries. Rashid promised to donate all match fees in a social media post on X, and he will soon launch a fundraising effort to support the victims.

I learned with great sadness about the tragic consequences of the earthquake that struck the western provinces (Herat, Farah, and Badghis) of Afghanistan.
I am donating all of my #CWC23 match fees to help the affected people.
Soon, we will be launching a fundraising campaign to… pic.twitter.com/dHAO1IGQlq

— Rashid Khan (@rashidkhan_19) October 8, 2023

“I learned with great sadness about the tragic consequences of the earthquake that struck the western provinces (Herat, Farah, and Badghis) of Afghanistan.”

“I am donating all of my #CWC23 match fees to help the affected people.”

“We will be launching a fundraising campaign soon to call on those who can support those in need,” Rashid posted on his X account on Sunday.

Read Also: Powerful Earthquakes Strike Western Afghanistan, Killing At Least 100 People

With rescue operations already beginning in the earthquake-prone mountainous country, the death toll is expected to grow in the coming hours. The quakes struck 35 kilometers (20 miles) northwest of Herat, with one registering 6.3 magnitude, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). The country’s Taliban administration has declared that the quake was one of the deadliest in recent years. While over 2000 people have already died, it is estimated that another 9000 have been injured in the natural disaster.

Rashid, who is presently representing Afghanistan in the ODI World Cup, will now look forward to assisting his country through this trying time. On Saturday, the 25-year-old was the victim of a terrible result in his country’s first World Cup encounter, which Bangladesh won by six wickets. Rashid scored nine runs with the bat but failed to take a wicket with the ball.

Afghanistan will most likely wear black armbands in their upcoming One-Day International World Cup encounter against India on Wednesday (Oct 11). The match will be held in Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium as they try to rebound from their setback to Bangladesh.