Mohammad Nabi Reconsiders ODI Retirement to Play with Son

Image credits: AP, Instagram/@chitwanrhinos.official

Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has announced that veteran cricketer Mohammad Nabi has decided to take a U-turn from his ODI retirement plan, with the desire to represent Afghanistan along with his 18-year-old son Hassan Eisakhil. Nabi's son, Eisakhil, represented Afghanistan at the Under-19 World Cup in 2024 as an opener but managed to score only 43 runs in four matches. Nabi recently expressed his desire to continue playing even after the Champions Trophy, stating that age is just a number and he wants to play with his son.

Nabi has discussed his plans with the senior players and will probably play less ODIs to give chances to the youngsters to build experience. His fitness will be a crucial factor in determining his participation in future matches. Nabi's dream is to play together with his son for the country, and he is pushing Eisakhil to work hard and make his own goals. Nabi wants Eisakhil to score 100-plus runs, as making 50 or 60 is not enough to be a high-level cricketer.

Afghanistan will start their Champions Trophy campaign against South Africa in Karachi on February 21, and later will travel to Lahore to play England and Australia respectively on February 26 and 28. Nabi represented Afghanistan in their first ODI and made his mark by scoring a half-century on his debut against Scotland in 2009. Nabi is a living legend in Afghan cricket, and his exceptional performance in all departments, including fielding, batting, and bowling, along with his remarkable fitness, makes him a valuable asset to the team.

The list of Afghanistan's upcoming matches in the Champions Trophy 2025 is as follows:

• February 21: Afghanistan vs South Africa in Karachi
• February 26: Afghanistan vs England in Lahore
• February 28: Afghanistan vs Australia in Lahore

Nabi's decision to continue playing ODIs has been welcomed by the ACB, and his experience will be crucial in guiding the team in the upcoming matches.

Mohammad Nabi's career statistics are impressive, with 3618 runs and 172 wickets to his name in 170 50-over matches played so far. His son, Eisakhil, has already represented the Afghanistani U-19 team in the 2024 U19 World Cup and has 426 runs to his name in 16 T20 matches played so far. The father-son duo's participation in the Champions Trophy 2025 will be an exciting moment for Afghan cricket fans, and their performance will be closely watched by the cricketing world.

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