Veteran Afghanistan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi has announced his intention to continue playing international cricket until the 2026 T20 World Cup. The tournament, which will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka, marks the endpoint of Nabi’s illustrious international career, specifically focusing on T20Is.
Currently captaining the Dambulla Sixers in the Lanka Premier League (LPL), the 39-year-old plans to reassess his One Day International (ODI) future after the upcoming Champions Trophy. Despite his age, Nabi emphasized that he still feels fit and capable of contributing significantly to the team.
“For how long do I want to continue my cricket? Still, my body is working and I am running fast. I am fielding in the boundary taking catches well and doing bowling well. Still, I am doing well and I am trying to keep myself (fit) for as long as possible,” Cricbuzz quoted Nabi as saying on Friday.
“Afghanistan team needs me as well at this stage but still may be Champions Trophy will be my last Champions Trophy in 50-over (format) and after that maybe one year and that’s it,” he said adding that he is keen to end his career with the next edition of ICC T20 World Cup.
“Hope so (about playing in the next T20 World Cup). If I am selected I will have to play,” he said.
Debuting for Afghanistan in 2009, Nabi has been a pivotal figure in the national team, consistently demonstrating his prowess as an all-rounder. He acknowledged the crucial role of fitness and recovery in sustaining his cricketing career and expressed his desire to aid the Afghanistan team with his extensive experience and performance. Nabi’s commitment to maintaining peak fitness through rigorous training and a clean diet has been a cornerstone of his career longevity.
“I am not young as I am 40 years old man. Still, I try my best to train hard and do my recovery as quickly as possible and it all depends on your food and how you eat. How you eat clean and good food as it makes you more fit,” said the veteran.
Nabi highlighted the positive influence of franchise cricket on Afghan players, attributing their exposure to various leagues as a factor in Afghanistan’s cricketing success. The team’s recent semi-final appearance in the T20 World Cup was a historic achievement, and Nabi expressed immense pride in their performance. He praised the collective effort that propelled them to the semi-finals and expressed his ambition to contribute to further successes in future tournaments.
Additionally, Nabi underscored the importance of imparting his experience to younger players within the national team. His leadership roles in various franchise cricket teams have furnished him with valuable experience, which he hopes to leverage in guiding Afghanistan cricket to new milestones. Nabi remains steadfast in his commitment to performing well and helping the Afghanistan cricket team achieve greater heights.
“It gives us a lot of experience and also brings that experience to the national team and we share it with the youngsters. Afghanistan’s T20 performance (in the World Cup) was really good. We beat big teams in the tournament.
“Yeah, first time in the semifinal and the tough four and that was a great achievement in my cricket life and hopefully more to come. As a team, we played and performed in the World Cup and everyone contributed a lot in this World Cup,” he concluded.
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