BAN v AFG | Mohammad Nabi to retire from Tests after Bangladesh match, confirms team manager
Afghanistanâs team manager Nazim Jar Abdurrahimzai has confirmed that all-rounder Mohammad Nabi is set to retire from Test cricket after the ongoing one-off Test match against Bangladesh. The 34-year-oldâs decision to retire comes while featuring in only the third Test match of his career.
For long, Nabi has been one of the two most recognised faces in Afghanistan cricket around the globe â the other being Rashid Khan. The duo and few others, in patches, have taken the Afghani brand of cricket throughout the world with their versatile skill set. But now, as Rashid steps up to take the mantle of Test captaincy, his senior is leaving the stage altogether.
''Yes, he will retire after the ongoing Test match,'' Abdurrahimzai told Cricbuzz, without delving into the specifics of the all-rounder's retirement.
It is understood that the driving force behind Nabiâs decision is that stepping away from the longest format of the game will inevitably help him prolong his white-ball career. This isnât something new at all as, in recent times, many a cricketer over the age of 30 has gone down the same road.Â
The all-rounderâs T20 game remains in good shape and he continues to be one of the most sought after players in leagues around the globe. Having had a good season with Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 2019 edition of the Indian Premier League, Nabi will now look forward to representing his country at the ICC T20 World Cup in Australia next year.Â
Perhaps the fact that Afghanistan is not a part of the inaugural World Test Championship cycle might also have swayed Nabiâs decision, with his team next playing red-ball cricket only in November-December against West Indies in Dehradun.
