Afghanistan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi is set to retire from Test cricket after the ongoing one-off Test match against Bangladesh, the Afghanistan team manager confirmed to Cricbuzz on Thursday (September 5).
”Yes, he [Nabi] will retire after the ongoing Test match,” Nazim Jar Abdurrahimzai said without delving into the specifics of the all-rounder’s retirement.
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The driving force behind Nabi’s decision thus isn’t clear but Cricbuzz understands that stepping away from Test cricket will help Nabi prolong his white-ball career, as has been the trend among cricketers over 30 in recent times.
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Nabi, now 34, is playing only his third Test match when he’s taken the decision to retire. That Afghanistan aren’t a part of the inaugural World Test Championship cycle might also have swayed Nabi, given his team next plays a Test match only in November-December against West Indies in Dehradun.
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Nabi’s T20 game remains in good stead. He continues to be in demand in T20 leagues around the world and has had a good season with Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 2019 Indian Premier League. He will also be a key component of Afghanistan’s plans at the ICC T20 World Cup in Australia next year.
