Mohammad Nabi makes a U-turn on his ODI retirement for Afghanistan after Champions Trophy 2025

Afghanistan cricketer Mohammad Nabi has hinted that he may continue playing ODI cricket after the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025 despite his previous statements. The veteran Afghan all-rounder also revealed that his dream is to represent his country alongside his son, Hassan Eisakhil.

Nabi had stated in November that he would retire from ODIs after the Champions Trophy. He made his ODI debut for Afghanistan in 2009 against Scotland. The player led the team in their maiden ODI World Cup in 2015. Nabi is the second-highest run-scorer and wicket-taker for his team in ODIs.

Hopefully, We Can Do It - Mohammad Nabi

Speaking to the ICC, Mohammad Nabi said that he will play fewer ODIs to give younger players more opportunities. Nabi stated that he has not made a final decision on retirement, and his future in ODIs will depend on his fitness and performance in high-level matches.

"These might not be my last ODIs, I will probably play less ODIs and give chances to the youngsters to build experience," Nabi told the ICC.

"I've discussed with the senior players and in the high-level games, maybe or maybe not, we'll see. It will depend on my fitness. It's my dream. Hopefully, we can do it. He is doing very well … he is a hard worker and I'm also pushing him to do work," he added.

Hassan Eisakhil is a batter who represented Afghanistan in the 2024 Under-19 World Cup. The 40-year-old all-rounder hopes to fulfill his dream of playing alongside his son for the national team.

He's Listening and Pushing All the Time - Mohammad Nabi

The Logar-born cricketer stated that he keeps advising his son, Hassan Eisakhil, to set his own goals and aim for big scores rather than settling for fifties. Nabi added that he advises his son to stay motivated and provides guidance to boost his confidence in the game.

"I want him to make his own goals, if you want to get to be a high-level cricketer, you have to work hard. It's not enough to make 50 or 60, you have to score 100-plus. He's listening and pushing all the time. When he can talk to me, I try to give him advice to give him confidence for the game," Mohammad Nabi added.

The Preparations for the Champions Trophy Have Been Good - Mohammad Nabi

Mohammad Nabi stated that the preparations for the Champions Trophy have been good, having played in the BPL and participated in training sessions with the Afghanistan national team in Abu Dhabi.

"The preparations for the Champions Trophy have been good. I've been busy playing in the Bangladesh Premier League, was a champion over there. I did three sessions with the national team in Abu Dhabi so I'm in good shape," Nabi explained.

"Winning the BPL gave me more confidence, from a tough position in the final. In the whole tournament, we did really well and my performances were good as well, bowling and also batting, I helped finish the job in four or five matches."

Afghanistan will enter the upcoming Champions Trophy as a strong contender. They defeated top teams like England and Sri Lanka in the 2023 World Cup and secured a top-four finish in the 2024 T20 World Cup. The Afghanistan team is placed in Group B alongside England, Australia, and South Africa.

Afghanistan made one change to their 15-man squad, replacing the injured AM Ghazanfar with left-arm spinner Nangeyalia Kharote. They will kick off their campaign against South Africa in Karachi on February 21, before facing England and Australia in Lahore on February 26 and 28, respectively.

Also read: Revealed: Why Morne Morkel left team India suddenly during ICC Champions Trophy 2025?