Mohammad Nabi, legendary Afghanistan cricketer, and former captain, who was supposed to retire from ODIs after the conducted 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, again announced a U-turn back from his retirement plan. The 40-year-old Nabi, so far scoring 3618 runs and grabbing 172 wickets in 170 ODIs, will continue playing ODIs after the eight-team ICC event.
Nabi does hope to play for Afghanistan at the highest level with his son, Hassan Eisakhil. The 18-year-old right-handed opening batter has already been part of Afghanistan’s U-19 in the 2024 U19 World Cup and has a run total of 426 in 16 T20 matches played to date.
“This may not be my last ODIs (Champions Trophy). After the ICC Champions Trophy, I will play lesser ODIs and allow youngsters to gather experience. I’ve spoken to my seniors, and maybe, maybe not, in high-pressure games; it depends on my fitness,” he was quoted saying by ICC.
“It is my dream (to be able to play for the country together), and I hope we can do it. He is doing very well. He has a hard-working nature, and I am also trying to support him and push him to do so,” he said.
“I want him to set his goals. If he wants to be a top cricketer, he has to work hard because if he scores 50 or 60, that is not enough; he should be trying to score 100. He is always listening and working on it. When he talks to me, I try to give him advice and build his confidence for the game,” Nabi remarked.
On April 19, 2009, Nabi made his ODI debut for Afghanistan against Scotland at Benoni. His last 50-over match was against Zimbabwe in Harare in December 2024. Nabi is set to take the field again for the Hashmatullah Shahidi-led side in Afghanistan’s opening match of the Champions Trophy 2025 on February 21, when they face South Africa in their first-ever match in the Champions Trophy at the National Stadium in Karachi.
