Mohammad Nabi

If there was a story to be made on the rise of Afghanistan Cricket then it will be incomplete without bringing up the name of Mohammad Nabi. From the lowest of lows to the euphoria of playing first Test in the international arena to playing in the 50-over World Cup, Mohammed Nabi has broken several glass-ceilings throughout his career.

It is hard to fly under the radar when you are one of the country's best cricket talents. But that is precisely what Afghanistan cricket all-rounder Mohammad Nabi has been able to do. A middle-order batsman who is capable of playing according to the situation and a crafty off-spinner who makes the most of his talents with the ball, Mohammad Nabi's story is almost as staggering as Afghanistan cricket rise in the international arena.

Mohammed Nabi: Along the Years

Records

• Fastest fifty by an Afghan cricketer in T20Is

• First bowler for Afghanistan to take 100 wickets in ODIs

• 6th oldest player to score a century 

• 2nd oldest player to take his maiden fifer in ODI cricket 

• 6th most run at number 7 in ODI (136)

Career

Mohammad Nabi, born on January 1, 1985, in Logar province, Afghanistan, is one of the most versatile and resilient cricketers Afghanistan has ever produced. His journey to cricket stardom is a testament to his determination, to overcome early life challenges caused by war and instability in his homeland. Nabi's introduction to cricket began during his family's refuge in Pakistan, where he started playing with tennis and tape balls, unknowingly laying the groundwork for his future success in the sport.

While in Pakistan, Nabi attended the Arshad Khan Academy in Peshawar, where he began receiving formal cricket training. His talent soon caught the attention of cricketing greats, including former England captain Mike Gatting, who saw potential in the young all-rounder. This was a turning point in Nabi's career, as he soon entered the international cricket radar.

In 2006, Nabi made a name for himself by scoring an impressive 116 against the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). This performance earned him a spot in MCC's young cricketer program, further boosting his development. A year later, he made his first-class debut in a match against Sri Lanka A, where he topped the run-scoring charts for his team.

Nabi's international career took off in 2009 when he made his debut for Afghanistan in both the One Day International (ODI) and T20 formats. Right from the beginning, he showcased his all-around abilities, contributing with both bat and ball. His consistent performances were instrumental in Afghanistan's qualification for multiple ICC World Twenty20 tournaments, marking the country’s arrival on the global cricket stage. As Afghanistan progressed, Nabi played a key role in the team’s elevation to Test status in 2017, a monumental achievement for the country.

In 2013, Nabi was appointed captain of the Afghan national team, a role in which he thrived. Under his leadership, Afghanistan secured significant victories against established Test-playing nations like Bangladesh and Scotland. One of the most memorable moments of his captaincy was leading Afghanistan to their first-ever World Cup win in 2015, where they defeated Scotland in a thrilling contest. This victory not only boosted Afghanistan’s confidence but also helped solidify their standing as a rising force in international cricket.

Apart from his international success, Nabi has been a highly sought-after player in domestic T20 leagues around the world. He has played in England, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and even in the Indian Premier League (IPL). His stints with Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders have left a lasting impact on his career, and his inclusion in the 2024 IPL auction by Mumbai Indians further highlighted his enduring value as a cricketer.

Mohammad Nabi’s journey from a war-torn Afghanistan to becoming a global cricket icon is a remarkable story of perseverance, skill, and resilience. His contribution to Afghan cricket has been invaluable, and he continues to inspire future generations of cricketers from his country.

Domestic Career

Mohammad Nabi was born in Afghanistan but moved to Peshawar, Pakistan as his family sought a safe haven, away from the war in Afghanistan. At the age of 10, Nabi first took up cricket and like most kids, it was a career that started with plenty of tennis ball cricket. He started training at Arshad Khan's academy in Peshawar and rapidly rose through the ranks.

Nabi's cricket career has taken him to Pakistan, where he made his List-A debut with Pakistan Customs, England where he made his first-class debut with Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).

His first taste of top-flight professional cricket came as he was part of an MCC side, who was taking on Sri Lanka A at Arundel in a tour match in July 2007. That came about courtesy of a century against a visiting MCC side on a tour of India, which was seen by Mike Gatting, who promptly brought him to play for the MCC.

Mohammad Nabi IPL and other Franchise Career

Mohammad Nabi made history as he was one of two Afghanistan players bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL Auction 2017. Although he played only three matches for SRH in IPL 2017, he was incredibly effective with the ball as he had an economy rate of under 5.5. He was brought back by SRH for IPL 2018 for Rs. 1 crore and played five matches in the season, taking three wickets. The right-hand middle-order batsman is capable of using the long lever and also bowling some clever off-spinner. He got the longest run in a season in 2019 when he featured in 8 games that included a 4-wicket haul. He is one handy cricketer to have and it will be interesting to see how the franchise uses Nabi in their scheme of things. In the 2020 IPL, Mohammad Nabi played only one match for Sunrisers Hyderabad where he scored 11 runs while batting but could not take a single wicket. In 2021, once again Sunrisers Hyderabad retained him for Rs 1 crore but he got to play only three matches in which he took two wickets and scored 34 runs. In the mega action of 2022, Mohammad Nabi was released in Sunrisers Hyderabad, after which he was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders for Rs 1 crore but he did not get to play any match. Mohammad Nabi remained unsold in the 2023 IPL, but in 2024, once again he was included in the team of Mumbai Indians for Rs 1.5 crore. In the 2024 IPL, Mohammad Nabi participated in seven matches where he scored only 35 runs in batting and took only two wickets while bowling.

Mohammad Nabi was chosen to participate in the first Afghanistan Premier League in September 2018 as a player for Balkh. He played for Leicestershire County Cricket Club in the T20 Blast that same year, and he was quite successful. Nabi's incredible 86 runs off just 32 balls in a match against Lancashire helped his team win by five wickets.

Nabi joined the Kent County Cricket Club in February 2019 in order to play in the 2019 T20 Blast. He re-signed with the team for the 2020 campaign as well, demonstrating his reliability in county cricket in England.

During the 2017–18 and 2018–19 seasons, Nabi also participated in Big Bash League action with the Melbourne Renegades. Notably, he and Dan Christian formed an undefeated 94-run partnership in December 2018 when they scored the winning runs in a pivotal game against the Adelaide Strikers.

Nabi signed the St Lucia Zouks of the Caribbean Premier League in July 2020. He confirmed his status as a dynamic all-rounder on August 27, 2020, when he collected his first five-wicket haul in a Twenty20 encounter against the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots.

Mohammad Nabi, a prominent Afghan cricketer, has participated in various T20 franchise tournaments around the world, including the Indian Premier League (IPL), Pakistan Super League (PSL), Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), Caribbean Premier League (CPL), Big Bash League (BBL), Vitality Blast, and Afghanistan Premier League (APL). He holds the distinction of being the first Afghan player to be bought in the IPL auction.

In the 2016 PSL, Nabi played for the Quetta Gladiators, where he featured in eight matches. His standout performance came in a thrilling game against Lahore Qalandars, where he scored 30 runs off 12 balls, including hitting the winning four on the final ball. Nabi left the tournament early to represent Afghanistan in the 2016 Asia Cup Qualifiers, with Nathan McCullum replacing him. In 2021, Nabi joined the Karachi Kings, and he was re-signed for the 2022 season as well.

Nabi made his BPL debut in 2013 for the Sylhet Royals, stepping in for the injured Andre Russell. His all-round abilities shone through, especially with his off-spin bowling, and he ended the tournament as the team’s leading wicket-taker with 18 wickets. Over the years, he played for multiple teams in the BPL, including Rangpur Riders in 2015, Chittagong Vikings in 2016, and Comilla Victorians in 2017. During the 2016 season, he had an exceptional run, finishing with 19 wickets and scoring his highest-ever T20 score of 87* against the Rajshahi Kings. In 2019, Nabi was selected to play for the Rangpur Rangers in the 2019-20 BPL season. 

Throughout his career, Nabi has been recognized as a versatile player with significant contributions in both batting and bowling.

Mohammad Nabi International Career  

Mohammad Nabi has played a crucial role in Afghanistan's meteoric rise in international cricket, guiding the team from Division Five of the World Cricket League to One Day International (ODI) status. Nabi's journey began in 2008 when Afghanistan won the ICC World Cricket League Division Five. He contributed significantly by scoring 108 runs and taking 10 wickets. His performances were even better in Division Four, where he was named man of the tournament with 154 runs and 14 wickets.

Nabi continued his success by helping Afghanistan secure ODI status after winning the 2009 World Cricket League Division Three. In Afghanistan’s first-ever ODI match, Nabi scored 58 runs, earning him the Player of the Match award. He became a key player for Afghanistan in first-class matches, notably scoring a century in his debut game against a Zimbabwe XI in the ICC Intercontinental Cup.

In 2010, Nabi was appointed captain of Afghanistan's team for the Asian Games, where they finished as runners-up. He was reinstated as captain in 2013, leading Afghanistan to their first major ODI tournament, the 2014 Asia Cup, where they famously defeated Bangladesh. However, after the 2015 Cricket World Cup, Nabi resigned due to poor form.

Despite a rough patch, Nabi bounced back in 2015, leading Afghanistan to a historic ODI series win over Zimbabwe. He also played a pivotal role in the 2016 ICC World Twenty20. Nabi's all-round contributions have continued into recent years, including his Test debut in 2018 and his involvement in the 2019 Cricket World Cup. In 2023, Nabi helped Afghanistan secure their first-ever win over Pakistan and picked up his maiden five-wicket haul in 2024. He remains a central figure in Afghan cricket.

ODI career

His international debut came in the ICC World Cup Qualifier against Scotland at Benoni in April 2009 where he scored a fifty and helped his claim a win. Even before his ODI debut, he played a crucial role in ensuring that Afghanistan got there. Although Afghanistan didn't manage to qualify for that edition of the World Cup, he has been a permanent fixture in the Afghanistan cricket side since then. Nabi was in the team when Afghanistan won their first match in 2015 WC against Scotland. Afghanistan also managed to qualify for the 2019 WC and Nabi was still present there, although the team didn't manage to win a single game.

In 2020, Mohammad Nabi did not play a single ODI and in 2021 he got to play only three matches. In 2022, once again Mohammad Nabi made a comeback and made a brilliant comeback in international cricket by taking four wickets for just 34 runs in 10 overs against Zimbabwe on June 6, although Nabi was still struggling with the bat. In 2024, Mohammad Nabi made his comeback in batting and scored the second century of his ODI career. He played a brilliant innings of 136 runs off 130 balls against Sri Lanka on February 9, 2024. Along with this, Nabi is also seen performing better with the ball.

T20I Career

Nabi made his T20I debut on 1 February 2010 against Ireland and since then has been an integral part of the Afghanistan cricket side that qualified for the World T20 for four successive editions from 2010 to 2016. Afghanistan has also qualified for the 2020 T20WC which took place in 2021. 

Mohammad Nabi's performance in this tournament was decent where he scored 127 runs in five matches at an average of 63.50 but he could not show his magic in bowling.

In 2022, Afghanistan once again qualified for the T20 World Cup where Mohammad Nabi's performance was not very special and he scored just 17 runs in three matches and took 1 wicket.

Mohammad Nabi's performance was better in 2023 where he scored 190 runs in 7 innings while batting at an average of 63.33, in which he also had an unbeaten half-century to his name, while his bowling performance was average in which he took only four wickets in five innings.

So far in 2024, Mohammad Nabi has played 18 matches in which he has scored 289 runs at an average of 20.64, while bowling he has taken only 8 wickets.

Test career

Afghanistan played their first-ever Test match against India in May 2018 and Nabi has a part of the historical match. However, during the one-off Test match against Bangladesh, he announced his retirement from Test cricket to focus on white-ball cricket.

Mohammad Nabi Captaincy

Mohammad Nabi was named captain of the Afghanistan national team for the ICC Intercontinental Cup in the United Arab Emirates by the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) in March 2013. Following Nawroz Mangal's dismissal from the position due to subpar play in a series against Pakistan, this decision was made. Afghanistan achieved great progress under Nabi's direction, one of which was their participation in the 2014 Asia Cup, their first large international ODI competition. They emerged victorious from this event against Bangladesh, their first triumph against a country that plays Test cricket.

Throughout the 2014 ICC World Twenty20 and the 2015 Cricket World Cup, Nabi served as captain. But Afghanistan only won once in the 2015 World Cup, and Nabi's own lack of form forced him to resign as captain in April of that same year. In spite of this, Afghanistan's development into a formidable international cricket side was greatly aided by his leadership.

Family

Mohammad Nabi was born on 1 January 1985 in Logar, Afghanistan. Due to the unrest in the country, Nabi moved on to Pakistan. He started his career there but gradually moved to better opportunities, eventually representing his home country.