Afghanistan once again showed sparks of brilliance in a tense game against the hosts Australia, losing by a mere 4 runs in what could have been the biggest upset of the tournament. Their players failed to step up in crucial moments of the game and suffered with inconsistency of the batting order but certainly entertained and sent some jitters down the Australian camp. Commentators too were in awe of what they witnessed and what could have been!
Mohammad Nabi the veteran T20 player shortly after the game, announced that he would be resigning from the captaincy but will be available for the country as a player should the management select him. He shared this news on his social media profiles through a letter, that stated his relationships with the management and board had turned sour and the preparations leading up to the tournament were unsatisfactory. Keeping in mind the team environment and atmosphere, he deemed fit to resign and make way for the next generation of Afghanistan cricketers, who will carry the baton forward.
As the T20I captain, Nabi has played 34 games with 16 wins and 18 losses, a win percentage of 47%. He has been a great servant to Afghanistan cricket and also made a big name for himself in the T20 circuit worldwide with fans all across. It is certainly a shame to see the now former captain revealing friction between him and management, which ahead of a big tournament can certainly be demotivating. He expressed his disappointment on their performance in the world cup and thanked the fans for showing up in large numbers to support the team. It is to be seen now if the Afghanistan Cricket Board moves past Nabi in the T20I format and looks to inject new blood or they bank on the veteran to come good once again.