Mohammad Nabi announces retirement from Test cricket

Afghanistan’s premier all-rounder in all three formats of the game, Mohammad Nabi has announced his retirement from one format. The 34-year old has will not be featuring in Test matches for Afghanistan after the completion of the ongoing game against Bangladesh. Afghanistan and Bangladesh are playing the only Test of the tour at Chattogram.

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A constant in Afghanistan cricket

Nabi’s place in Afghanistan cricket history is unchallenged. The all-rounder has the distinction of playing in the nation’s first-ever T20I, first-ever ODI and first-ever Test match. He has been synonymous with the swift rise of Afghan cricket. Although he spent his early days in Peshawar as a refugee, the off-spinner later became a vital cog in Afghanistan’s cricket team. His power-hitting ensured that the team always had batting depth. From winning the division five to playing a Test match, Nabi has seen it all.

Test retirement

Afghanistan team manager Nazim Jar Abdurrahimzai confirmed the development. Speaking to Cricbuzz, he said, “Yes, he (Nabi) will retire after the ongoing Test match”. Presumably, Nabi has taken this decision to prolong his white-ball career. His primary target will be to represent his nation in next year’s T20 World Cup in Australia.

Including the ongoing Test in Bangladesh, the 34-year-old has featured all three Test matches that Afghanistan have played so far. Although he has not been able to make a great impact with his performances, his years of experience make him a valuable prospect. The all-rounder also plies his trade in every major T20 league across the globe.

The latest entrants in Test cricket are not a part of the ICC World Test Championship as only the top nine full member nations are competing in the inaugural series. The Afghans shall next face West Indies in the one-off Test which is scheduled to begin from November 27 in Dehradun, India.