The Afghanistan cricket team has risen through the ranks in the sport in the last decade, improving their performances in the T20 World Cup edition after edition. Some of the top players, who have been instrumental in the early success of Afghanistan cricket, are getting by the years, leading to an influx of new talent into their national team.
There is still a great blend of youth and experience in the Afghanistan cricket team, which is set to embark on the trip to the USA and Caribbean, to play in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 next month. In this article, SportsTiger looks at three Afghan players who might play their last T20 World Cup in 2024.
Gulbadin Naib
Gulbadin Naib has played 65 matches for Afghanistan in the T20I format after making his debut in 2012, showcasing his all-round skills to the fullest in some of the biggest wins in the history of the national team. Although the 33-year-old is still a decent performer for Afghanistan in the shortest format of the game, playing for Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2024, he might not fit in the T20I scheme of things of the selectors since the format is fast moving towards a requirement of explosive batting right throughout the innings, coupled with versatility in bowling plans, which isn’t quite his forte.
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Najibullah Zadran
Najibullah Zadran, 31, is one of the few selected players to make over 100 appearances in the T20I format for Afghanistan, playing a key role in their rise among the elite teams in the last decade or so. But the left-handed batter hasn’t been quite as consistent while playing against the top bowling attacks in the shortest format of the game, which he needs to improve, otherwise the Afghanistan selectors might not give him another chance to play in the T20 World Cup after the 2024 edition.
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Mohammad Nabi
Mohammad Nabi, the legend of Afghanistan cricket, has played 121 T20I matches for the national team after making his debut back in 2010, taking them to new heights of success in the sport. After taking part in the IPL 2024 season for Mumbai Indians, the 39-year-old is still a part of the T20 World Cup 2024 squad of Afghanistan, which could prove to be his appearance for the national team if he decides to retire from the sport.
