‘Bismillahi Rahmani Raheem’, says Ishan Kishan; video viral

New Delhi: A video of India wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan beginning his speech with "Bismillahi Rahmani Raheem" at a special dinner hosted by the Afghanistan Cricket Board has gone viral on social media.

Speaking at the event, Kishan praised Afghanistan’s cricketers and highlighted the close bond between players from the two teams, strengthened by their experience of playing together in the Indian Premier League.

Kishan also recalled his time with Afghanistan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi at the Mumbai Indians. Nabi, he said, had helped him improve his batting and shared insights into how to plan against different types of bowlers. Kishan also praised the Afghan team’s competitive spirit and their determination to take wickets and maintain a high standard in every match.

The video has emerged amid controversy in West Bengal after IPS officer Bushra Bano was transferred following complaints over her use of Islamic greetings and expressions, including ”Assalamu Alaikum" and “Insha Allah", in a video shared with civil service aspirants.

Meanwhile, India and Afghanistan are set to meet in the third and final T20I at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium on Thursday evening. The match is scheduled to begin at 7.30 pm, with India already holding an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

With the series already secured, India is considering changes to the playing XI. Fifteen-year-old opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is among the players in focus after being left out of the first two matches. His potential inclusion has generated considerable interest, particularly as he could become the youngest Indian to play an international match on home soil.

A place for Sooryavanshi could mean one of Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson or Kishan making way, adding another layer of intrigue to India’s final match of the series.