Afghstan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi is all set retire from the longest format of the game after the conclusion of ongoing Test against Bangladesh.
"Experienced all-rounder @MohammadNabi007 announced his retirement from Test cricket confirming that the ongoing one-off match against @BCBtigers will be his last in the longest format," the Afghstan Cricket Board (ACB) tweeted.
Nabi is currently playing in the Test match against Bangladesh and has scored eight runs including both innings and also bagged three wickets so far. He has been a permanent fixture in the cricket team in the last couple of years.
The 34-year-old has only played two Test matches for Afghstan, in which he scored 25 runs and picked four wickets.
"Indeed Test Cricket is an important format that every cricketer wishes to play. I have served Afghstan for the last 18 years and it was my dream as well to help Afghstan obtain Test status," Nabi said in a video posted by ACB's official Twitter handle.
"The dream is realised now and we have a maximum of 1-2 Tests per year and I want that instead of me, a youngster gets to play since the emerging youngsters are performing well in domestic cricket. Therefore I want them to get the chance they deserve so that we have a good Test team in the future as well," Nabi added.
Talking about limited-overs cricket Nabi said he wants to be well-prepared for the ODIs and T20Is and maintain his fitness.
"I also intend to be well prepared for these two formats. These are white-ball formats for which I will try to maintain my fitness. I will strive to play ODIs and T20Is for Afghstan as long as I am able to," he said.
"I will share my experience with youngsters like I have done before as well whether in the camp or the ones who will be with me in the ODI or T20I squads," he added.
Nabi played 121 ODIs for his country and amassed 2,699 runs and also scalped 128 wickets. In the 68 T20Is, he had 1,161 runs with a high score of 89. He bagged 69 wickets in the shortest format of the game.
In the recently concluded ICC Men's Cricket World Cup, he scalped ten wickets in nine matches.
( With inputs from ANI )
