Afghanistan Veterans and Interpreters to meet on the Cricket Field
While Australia’s Test cricketers will be battling the West Indies at the Adelaide Oval this week, another important cricket match will be taking place across town on Sunday 11 December, where a team of Australian Defence Force (ADF) veterans will be taking on a rival team of Afghan interpreters and translators.
The Twenty20 match, to be played at the Kilburn Cricket Club in the Adelaide suburb of Blair Athol, is being sponsored by RSL South Australia and celebrates the friendship and service of the veterans and the locally engaged interpreters and translators.
The friendship event will bring together interpreters, translators, Defence veterans and their families to acknowledge all those who served in Afghanistan. It will particularly support those who may be struggling as a result of their service in the aftermath of military operations, the release of the Brereton Report, and the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban.
The RSL team will be captained by veteran and author Harry Moffitt and the Interpreters XI by Sadiqi Samandarkhan. The coin toss will take place at 1.40 pm, with play commencing at 2 pm. Spectators are welcome.
RSL Australia President Greg Melick said the cricket match was a great initiative and it was fitting that the links between the ADF veterans, and their interpreters and translators were being celebrated in a game that was enjoyed by both cultures.
“The RSL acknowledges and supports the Afghan interpreters and translators and ADF veterans who served on the front lines in Afghanistan and recognises the mateship and mutual respect that was fostered during the war in that country.
“RSL South Australia must be congratulated for sponsoring this match and the rival captains have expressed the desire to make it an annual event. Hopefully, similar matches can be staged in other Australian states.
“We encourage people to come along to Sunday’s match and show their support for our brave veterans, interpreters and translators,” Greg Melick said.
