Afghanistan's veteran allrounder Mohammad Nabi is all set to retire from ODI cricket after the completion of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Naseeb Khan, chief executive of the Afghanistan Cricket Board has confirmed the news to Cricbuzz.
The chief executive of the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) revealed that the former captain has informed the board officials about his decision. However, Naseeb also mentioned that the senior pro is likely to continue playing T20Is for Afghanistan.
"Yes, Nabi is retiring from ODIs after the Champions Trophy and he informed the board about his desire," Naseeb told Cricbuzz. "He told me few months back that he wants to end his ODI career after the Champions Trophy and we welcome his decision. After the Champions Trophy, what I understand is that, he is expected to continue his T20 career, and that is the plan until now," he added.
Notably, Nabi is one of the most experienced players in the Afghan dressing room at the moment. He has represented Afghanistan in 165 ODIs, three Tests and 129 T20Is thus far. The right-handed batter has aggregated 3549 runs in his ODI career at an average of 27.30, including two hundreds and 17 half-centuries. He also has 171 wickets in ODIs with four four-wicket hauls and a five-for.
Nabi, 39, is still a valuable asset to Afghanistan in the ODI format and it was evident during the first ODI of the three-match series against Bangladesh on Wednesday. Bangladesh had Afghanistan on the mat in the first ODI at one stage before Nabi came into bat and pulled his side from 71/5 to a respectable total.
Nabi's knock of 84 came at a strike rate of 106.32 and allowed the hosts to transfer the pressure back on the Bangla Tigers. The senior pro also claimed the key wicket of Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and played his role in derailing their run chase.
