BAN vs AFG | Quit Test cricket to give more opportunity to youngsters, reveals Mohammad Nabi
Afghanistan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi has revealed that he quit Test cricket in order to help the team build the core in the longest format with young cricketers. Nabi further added that the experience of both himself and Rashid Khan in Bangladesh conditions helped his team triumph over the hosts.
It is fair to say that when Mohammad Nabi made his first-class debut in 2007, he wouldn't have dreamt about playing Test cricket, let alone winning a Test away from home. 12 years later, the all-rounder from Loger has bid goodbye to the game's longest format having helped his team win two of their first three Tests, with the second one away from home, against sub-continent giants Bangladesh.
Nabi has now stated that he left the game's longest format in order to give his team a chance to build a core with youngsters, adding that he will now solely focus on ODIs and T20s.
"I had the dream to play Test cricket for Afghanistan. We have worked really hard for that in a short time. Not last 13 to 14 years, we have achieved that target seven to eight years," Nabi was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.
"My plan is that the youngsters should be prepared for the next Tests as they are the future for us. That's why I have decided to leave Test matches and focus on One-Day internationals and T20s,'' he added.
In a race against time and rain, Afghanistan dramatically beat Bangladesh on Monday with four overs left to claim a historic away Test victory. Nabi has revealed that the experience of both himself and his partner-in-crime Rashid Khan playing in the Bangladesh Premier League helped them acclimatize to the conditions quickly, thus helping their team to a great extent. He also added that the pitch helped their spinners, who, he believes are better than their Bangladeshi counterparts.
"I think it's me and Rashid who have played here for last three to four years in the BPL. Everyone knows about us very well. Rashid is a totally different bowler. It is not easy to play him in such conditions," the 34-year-old said.
"When we saw that pitch, we decided that the match will be finished in four days because both sides have good spinners. Our spinners are much better than Bangladesh's and that's why we were happy to see the pitch," he added.
Nabi also credited the Afghan batsmen for their solid showing, while heaping praise on youngster Ibrahim Zadran, who agonizingly fell 13 runs short of a century on debut.
"We adjusted very quickly in these conditions. The preparation for the Test match was really good. That's why the boys have performed both in batting and bowling departments. We put up good totals in both the innings. I will talk especially about the young guy Ibrahim. Recently he played here in with A team against Bangladesh A and he performed really well. It proved that he has the ability, he has the talent to play in Test cricket," Nabi said.
Nabi and Afghanistan will now set their sights on the T20I tri-series against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh, with Afghanistan set to play their first match against the Hamilton Masakadza-led Zimbabwe on September 14.
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