Andrew Flintoff has expressed heartfelt pride as Adnan Miakhel, a refugee from Afghanistan and star of Flintoff’s reality TV series Field of Dreams, made his debut for Lancashire’s second XI in a friendly against Yorkshire.
Miakhel, who found national attention through Flintoff’s series highlighting raw cricketing talent in Preston, stepped up from Lancashire’s Under-18s to the second team, marking a major milestone in his cricket journey. His debut performance was promising—scoring 25* while batting at number 10 and taking the wickets of seasoned pros Jonny Tattersall and Matt Revis, ending with figures of 2-72 from 13 overs.
The match, played at Liverpool’s Northern Cricket Club, was an informal fixture not limited to 11 players per side. Though Miakhel wasn’t listed to bat in the second innings, his presence on the field was symbolic of both sporting potential and personal triumph.
Flintoff, who has returned to the public eye following his recovery from a serious car crash—chronicled in a new documentary—shared his admiration for Miakhel on social media:
“Some journeys are longer and harder, I’m so proud of this fine young man.”
Miakhel’s road to this moment wasn’t easy. After fleeing Afghanistan, he was granted asylum in the UK, aided by a letter of support from Flintoff to the Home Office. He has since flourished at Rossall School, where he is currently head of Year 13 and captain of the first XI.
Rossall School also celebrated his success, writing on X:
“Amazing to see current Y13 and 1XI cricket Captain Adnan M being presented with his 2XI cap… It is fantastic to see all of the hard work Adnan has put in paying off.”
The school, known for producing sporting talent such as Liam Botham—son of England legend Sir Ian Botham—hailed Miakhel’s achievement as a testament to perseverance and the transformative power of opportunity.
