Club launches appeal to save Afghan refugee

A cricket club in South London has launched an appeal to save one of their youth team players, an Afghan refugee, from deportation.

Ashoquolla Sultankhil, affectionally known by his team-mates as Shuk, arrived in the UK as a 14-year-old in 2014 following a perilous journey via Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Bulgaria, Hungry, Serbia, Italy, and France.

At the age of 10, Shuk's mother and elder brother had been killed in a Taliban attack, and so he made the brave decision to follow in the footsteps of his father, with whom he has never had any contact, who left Afghanistan to seek work in Europe when Shuk was a baby.

Despite an initial language barrier, Shuk successfully claimed asylum and was placed in Foster care in Eltham with a school place at Woolwich Poly. His passion, however, was cricket, and having researched the local clubs, he arrived at BHCC at the end of the 2014 season.

"Shuk turned up at the club speaking very little English, though he was able to make his point quite clearly," said Michael Barker, the club's second-team captain. "He loved cricket and wanted to play and we welcomed him with open arms."

Shuk joined the Under 15's colts side in 2015, and went on to be selected for The Bexley District Academy. Educationally he managed to pass five GCSEs this year, including a C in English Language, the result of many hours spent learning in the local library.

However, he recently failed in an application to remain in the UK and is now on his final appeal to stay in the country.

"All of us down at The Heath are desperate to have Shuk stay in his new home here in the UK," added Barker. "He is a smashing, polite, friendly, hard-working lad who has quite simply become part of our family."

A petition has been launched which you can sign here.