Afghanistan's Star All-Rounder has said that he wants to retire from the ODI format after the Champions Trophy 2025. Mohammad Nabi revealed this after winning the ODI Series against Bangladesh in UAE, and he was also adjudged the Player of the Series.

After the third ODI, Nabi spoke to the host broadcaster and said, "In my mind, from the last World Cup, I was retired but then we qualified for the Champions Trophy and I felt if I could play that, it would be great."

Nabi informs about his decision 

He has reportedly informed the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) of his decision and will continue to play in T20Is. To the ACB media team, he said: "We will see, but no, I will not play for long. God willing, after the Champions Trophy, we will say goodbye to the ODIs."

Nabi has played 167 matches so far and is Afghanistan's highest-capped ODI Cricketer. He is also the current World No. 1 ODI All-Rounder in the ICC Rankings.

He has been playing this format since they made their ODI Cricket debut against Scotland in 2009. He has scored 3600 runs in this format and he is 2nd in the list of Afghanistan's highest run-getters. He has hit 17 fifties and 2 centuries and averages 27.48. He has scalped 172 wickets with an average of 32.47 and ranks 2nd in their highest wicket-taker list.

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Afghanistan will make their maiden appearance at the Champions Trophy

Afghanistan will make their first appearance in the Champions Trophy tournament in 2025. They finished in the Top Six in the 2023 ODI World Cup and earned a spot in the Champions Trophy. The eight-team Champions Trophy features the top seven teams from the latest ODI World Cup, along with hosts Pakistan.

Nabi has been constant in the Afghanistan team's progress in the T20I and ODI formats as well as helping them get recognition in each format. He was the ODI captain in Afghanistan's maiden 50-over World Cup appearance in 2015 and featured in the 2019 and 2023 editions too. He retired from Tests in 2019.

New Zealand star Mark Chapman showcased his talent in the ongoing Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2024 during the match between the Dambulla Sixers and Colombo Strikers on Thursday, July 16.

In the final game of the league stage, Muhammad Waseem, playing for Colombo, was aggressive and took on pacer Nuwan Pradeep, keeping his team in the hunt for 124 runs. Waseem hit Pradeep for two boundaries and a six in the first four balls of the second over, showing no signs of slowing down.

However, Pradeep made a crucial comeback, ultimately leading to Waseem’s dismissal, thanks to an outstanding effort from Mark Chapman. On the fifth ball of the over, Waseem attempted to clear mid-on but failed to make solid contact. That’s when Chapman sprang into action.

Positioned at mid-on, Chapman sprinted to his right and executed a perfect dive, taking a spectacular catch with both hands to send Waseem packing. With this wicket, the Colombo Strikers found themselves struggling at 16/2.

Following Waseem’s dismissal, Nuwan Pradeep continued to shine, taking wickets at regular intervals and applying pressure on the opposition. After Waseem’s quick 15 runs, the Colombo Strikers collapsed, quickly finding themselves at 88/9.

Skipper Thisara Perera contributed a valuable 30 runs to keep his team in the game, but ultimately, the Strikers were bowled out for just 95 runs, losing the match by 28 runs.

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We gave our all to set a big score – Mohammad Nabi

Dambulla Sixers skipper Mohammad Nabi, who was named Player of the Match for his 40-run performance, reflected on his innings and acknowledged the challenges posed by the tricky pitch. He expressed that the team aimed to post a big score but faced setbacks with early wickets. Speaking after the match, he shared:

“It was a tough game on a tricky pitch. We did our best to set a big total, but losing early wickets hurt us. If I had been able to bat through the last four overs, it could have changed the outcome. I focused on waiting for bad balls and playing simple cricket—watching the ball closely, especially the legspinner’s googlies and flippers.

“On this pitch, the googly and flipper were the most difficult to face. In our huddle, we discussed the need to defend 47 runs and aimed to bowl stump to stump. It’s been a fantastic tournament, and I enjoyed leading the team, but unfortunately, we couldn’t qualify. Overall, it was a great experience, and I truly enjoyed it.”

With the 17th edition of IPL commencing on 22nd March, many cricket fanatics eagerly anticipate an intense and exciting summer cricketing clash between the Indian cities and states. The Mumbai Indians squad for the upcoming edition has primarily focused on revamping with the elements of young and emerging players that could benefit their future goals and aspirations.

As the team making a significant change of their five-time champion captain, Rohit Sharma, and giving the responsibility to Hardik Pandya, it is evident that the team is up to something about their plans. So, here is a list of the top four players to check out from the Mumbai Indians squad. 

Hardik Pandya

From a long run of rumours and speculations, Hardik Pandya finally got shifted from his previous squad, Gujarat Titans, to his first franchise, Mumbai Indians, in an all-cash deal of INR 15 Crore. Though many cricket fanatics were amused by the decision to make him the team’s captain, Hardik Pandya could be the significant initiator in the plans of Mumbai Indians.

Recently getting prone to injuries, Pandya is set to make a robust comeback as the team’s jack of all trades. In his 139-match IPL stint, he has made 2309 runs and scalped 53 wickets. 

Tilak Varma 

Tilak Varma has risen ever since his inclusion in the Mumbai Indians squad from the 2022 edition. With his ability to take the game deep and enhance their middle-order batting capacity, he became one of the top run-scorers in the team.

After back-to-back solid seasons, he earned his maiden T20I call-up for the series against West Indies, where he didn’t disappoint with the bat. His ability to switch gears alongside his useful off-breaks makes him a premium product in the arsenal’s setup. In his IPL career, he has made 740 runs in just 25 innings, with a commendable average of 38.95.

See also: IPL 2024: SWOT Analysis of Mumbai Indians

Gerald Coetzee

The South African quick gun Gerald Coetzee was one of Mumbai Indians’ initial auction choices for INR 5 crore. Coetzee played four T20Is and collected six wickets. He played his last 20-over match against India in 2023.

The 5-time winners are prominent for their fast bowling, which the club is working hard to enhance for the IPL 2024. The highlights of his first IPL season will be his quick pace and wicket-scalping technique in crucial moments.

Mohammad Nabi

Mohammad Nabi, regarded as one of Afghanistan’s finest cricketers, was a significant signing for MI in the auction, fetching INR 1.50 crore. Nabi, known as the Afghan T20 GOAT, has 3399 runs and 92 wickets in 118 matches. In his IPL stint, he made a commendable all-rounder contribution to SRH and KKR.

While Nabi’s IPL outings have been limited, his importance with MI is expected to grow dramatically. Nabi’s batting and bowling expertise and Piyush Chawla’s will be critical to MI’s success in the IPL 2024, bringing depth and balance to their team.

Mohammad Nabi has seen it all with Bangladesh Cricket. Making his domestic debut back in 2007, Mohammad Nabi was a part of the eleven when Afghanistan played their first ODI, T20, and Test. He was with them before they got ODI Status in 2009 and was a key member who saw Afghanistan move from Division Five to ODI Status.

In his early days, Mohammad Nabi showed consistency and was quickly given leadership roles. From being the first name on the teamsheet back in the day, Mohammad Nabi is now stamped in the eleven when the team is made. As a player though he has always had players who are a lot more flashier.

In 2012, the presence of the likes of Mohammad Shehzad and Gulbadin Naib took the spotlight. Shahzad, with his flamboyant batting and helicopter shot, was their first star to grab the headlines. He did not enjoy a consistent career though with fitness and discipline taking the spotlight as he went on.

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Gulbadin Naib, a pace bowling version of Mohammad Nabi is another who had the eyes on him. He was solid down the order, pretty fit, and reliable. Captaincy in the 2019 World Cup though did not do him too well with Naib fading soon after. Hamid Hassan is another who was really fast with his bowling., but could not sustain it due to injuries.

Fast forward to a decade later and Mohammad Nabi is still standing. Is he a standout player in the side though? Probably not with both the batting and bowling line-ups having names who are a lot more flashy. With the ball, Afghanistan has found some good fast bowlers and an arsenal of spin.

They have one of the best players going around in Rashid Khan while Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Noor Ahmed are gaining fame as well. With one of the best leg-spinners in the World, a consistent right-arm spinner who mixes it up, and a left-arm wrist spinner it is often easy to ignore a spinner who bowls simple right-arm off-spin.

Mohammad Nabi’s action is the sole proof of his silence in the side. He gently jogs up to the crease and releases the ball ever so smoothly, making it look like he is putting no effort into his ball. The Job though is done more often than not. Unlike the others who offer variety, Nabi sticks to consistency. Tight lines and pressure is how he operates. Before the opposition knows it, Mohammad Nabi zips through his overs, and when they try to go after him they get caught in his trap.

Gentle changes in flight and length are how he tends to deceive the batters. An old-fashioned but evergreen trick. With the bat too, Mohammad Nabi is often forgotten. Batting below a generation of Afghanistan’s best batters and just ahead of Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi again remains overshadowed. His batting hasn’t been used much in this tournament. Back in the day though, rescue acts from him and Naib were common with Afghanistan collapsing due to lack of experience at the top.

He has been a part of 3 ODI World Cups and has now seen the best for Afghanistan. In 2015, Afghanistan was there to make up the numbers. A win against Scotland was encouraging but not everything. Four years on, Afghanistan win the World Cup Qualifiers and is in a 10-team World Cup. Rashid Khan is a hot property in franchise Cricket.

Afghanistan’s fortunes though remain the same. They go home win-less. In the interim, Afghanistan also attained Test status only to lose their first Test in 2 days. Mohammad Nabi though has seen days worse, and a Test debut, despite losing is a massive success story in his career.

5 years on from that debut though he still stands. Afghanistan are into their Final game of the World Cup. 8 games in they are still alive, although the margins required are impossible. The scenario though is a massive improvement from what he has seen in his early days. He is still around and has added his tally of conquered nations to 43.

At 38 this is certainly his last World Cup in the 50-over format. He has already called it a day in Tests. With Afghanistan, though set to play in the Champions Trophy, Nabi could be tempted to push his career for another 2 years. He does have another T20 World Cup coming up, and it will be interesting to see if Afghanistan’s silent and constant force pushes him for another couple of years.

In the early stages of the Asia Cup, most matches had been characterized by one-sided outcomes, leaving fans craving a truly exciting showdown between two competitive teams. Afghanistan and Sri Lanka stepped up to deliver precisely that. In a nail-biting conclusion to the match, Sri Lanka emerged victorious by a margin of just 2 runs, in a game that saw a combined total of 580 runs scored. It was a thrilling spectacle that had fans on the edge of their seats from start to finish.

Sri Lanka got off to a strong start with Nissanka shifting gears and taking the aggressive route. But the loss of 3 quick wickets with a span of 6 overs dented their run rate and the onus was on the experienced Kusal Mendis and Charith Asalanka to steady the ship. Their 102-run partnership not only ensured that their team got out of the crisis but also ensured that the finishers had enough overs to give the much-needed momentous finish.

While the Sri Lankans did tumble from 188/3 to 227/7, their tailenders in the form of Wellalage and Theekshana created a formidable partnership that saw the team reach a competitive total of 291. Kusal Mendis stood for almost 30 overs in the innings and scored 92 runs.

Afghanistan on the other hand started on the wrong foot, by losing 2 wickets within their first 5 overs. But the Sri Lankan bowlers couldn’t keep a lid on their scoring rate and the arrival of Mohammad Nabi just made things worse for the bowling team. The Afghan skipper and Nabi registered a fantastic counter attacking partnership worth 80 runs of just 47 deliveries, with Nabi scoring almost 82 percent of the partnership runs. While the trio of Karim Janat, Najibullah Zadran and Rashid khan provided their finishing impetus, it wasn’t enough for Afghanistan as they fell short by a slim margin of 2 runs.

In this article, we will delve into the batting performances of Kusal Mendis and Mohammad Nabi.

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Kusal Mendis’ Steady Knock

A quick glance of the charts shows us the wide variety of shots that Mendis played throughout the innings. He started of his innings at a slow pace scoring 32 runs of his first 47 deliveries. He then took on Rashid khan and scored 3 consecutive boundaries which provided him a major momentum boost and he ended up scoring 60 runs of the next 37 deliveries.

He scored a bulk of his runs of the front foot drive (18.3%) but he showed prowess in his back foot pull shots which aggregated to almost 17% of his total runs. Once he had settled down, he started taking on the spinners, which included the aggressive front foot slog (12.9% of the total runs). He is also well known for playing the hook shot which aggregated close to 7% of his total runs.

Throughout the first phase of his innings, he took on the role of a strike rotator and majorly played the back foot push and the front foot push which aggregated close to 11% and 9% of his total runs respectively.

Mohammad Nabi’s Swashbuckling innings

Afghanistan had to play at almost 8 runs an over in order to qualify for the next stage of the tournament. Just when things seemed to be bleak, Mohammad Nabi entered the crease and changed the complexity of the game. His counter attacking innings provided the much-needed hope and momentum for the Afghan team.

His major scoring area was the third man region but that was primarily because of a few outside edges which went to the fence. He played a few astounding strokes towards the mid-wicket and covers region which accounted for close to 19% and 16% percent of his total runs respectively. He also played a few eye pleasing lofted drives towards the extra covers and long on region accounting for close to 11% of his total runs respectively. He put away the wide short balls with his fierce back foot cut shots to the cover-point and point regions.

While it was a spectacle to watch Nabi’s counter attacking innings, he would feel gutted for not staying longer in the crease and finishing off the match before the required over mark.

On Friday, Afghanistan won the first Twenty20 international of a three-game series against Pakistan by six wickets, led by Mohammad Nabi. This is Afghanistan’s first Twenty20 international victory over Pakistan in four games.

On a slow, low pitch at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Pakistan struggled against the Afghans, whose six bowlers shared all nine wickets, without five rested frontline players, including captain Babar Azam.

After winning the toss and choosing to bat at Sharjah Stadium, Pakistan restricted Nabi’s team to 92-9 with a score of 2-12, with assistance from Mujeeb Ur Rahman (2-9) and pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi (2-13).

After that, Nabi kept his cool with a cautious run-a-ball of 38 not out, and he and Najibullah Zadran (17 not out) added 53 for the fifth wicket to help Afghanistan surpass the target in 17.5 overs.

Nabi got his first boundary off the 27th ball, then he got two more from Naseem Shah in the next over, and Ihsanullah hit a six to win.

Afghanistan overcame a 45-4 deficit in the 10th over to win by six wickets with more than two overs remaining and cruise home at 98-4.

Mohammad Nabi scored a straight six over long off to give Afghanistan its first victory over Pakistan in five attempts over the past decade

“Pleasure to win, as we’ve always lost against them by small margins. Wearing Afghanistan colors and leading the team in a win is a proud achievement. We never know the wicket . . . (but the) mindset was . . . to adjust accordingly.”

Afghanistan skipper Rashid Khan said.

The remaining two T20 matches on Sunday and Monday offer Afghanistan a chance to win the series for the first time. On a pitch with two paces, Pakistan’s batters were unable to accelerate, and the majority were dismissed softly.

Saim Ayub and Mohammad Haris, in place of the formidable openers Babar and Mohammad Rizwan, were unable to gauge the low bounce and fell inside the batting powerplay while attempting extravagant shots.

Abdullah Shafique was stuck by Azmatullah Omarzai for 0 and Tayyab Tahir, one of four making their Pakistan debut, heaved a return catch to Rashid Khan. Pakistan was 41-5 in the eighth over after Azam Khan was also out for a duck in his debut.

Imad Wasim, who scored the most runs with 18, saved Pakistan from posting its lowest T20 total of 74 against Australia in Dubai in 2012.

“Sometimes this can happen due to youngsters being nervous, but they need to be given chances. As professionals, we can’t give excuses regarding conditions, we have to learn from the loss here.”

interim captain Shadab Khan said.

Fazalhaq Farooqi defeated the unconventional spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman with a score of 2-13.

Ihsanullah, a Pakistani fast bowler making his debut, took two wickets in his first over by throwing short pitches. Soon, Afghanistan was four down, but Nabi, who was 38 not out, and Najibullah Zadran, who was 17 not out, got them over the line.

Ihsanullah came out on top with 2-17

With the first ball of his T201 career, pace bowler Ihsanullah (2-17) bowled out Ibrahim Zadran for nine and then bowled out Gulbadin Naib for nothing, leaving Afghanistan at 45-4, but Nabi and Najibullah ensured victory.

On a slow, low Sharjah Stadium surface that helped Afghanistan’s three-pronged spin attack, Pakistan were 41-5 in the eighth over.

Imad Wasim scored the most runs with 18, followed by Ayub (17), Tahir (16), and captain Shadab Khan (12). In his 15-ball innings, Ayub, who is known for his power hitting, hit two boundaries and a six, while Wasim’s 32-ball innings, which he tried to save, did not have a single boundary.

The highest partnership of the innings was between Wasim and skipper Shadab Khan (12), who added 19 more runs for the sixth wicket. Reviewed power hitter Azam Khan and Abdullah Shafique neglected to score. Pakistan’s other most reduced T201 sums are 74 versus Australia in Dubai 2012, 82 versus West Indies in Dhaka 2014, 83 versus India in Dhaka 2016 and 89 versus Britain in Cardiff in 2010.

The remaining matches will also be played in Sharjah on Sunday and Monday, making this the first bilateral series between the two nations.