Sport
Nabi says no plans to retire, hopes to play in next T20 World Cup
Afghanistan cricket legend Mohammad Nabi says he has no plans to retire and hopes to be selected for the next T20 World Cup in 2026, despite being 39 years old.
Nabi is currently ranked as Number 1 all rounder in ODIs by the ICC and 6th in T20 all rounder rankings.
He played a major role in Afghanistan’s rise to the top level of international cricket, playing in both the country’s first One Day International in April 2009 and their first Test match in June 2018.
He was also part of Afghanistan’s first T20I team which played against Ireland on 1 February 2010.
Currently leading Dambulla Sixers in the Lanka Premier League, Nabi told the media in Colombo on Friday he was determined to carry on his national duties for at least two more years if selected.
Asked how long he hoped to continue, he said: “For how long I want to continue my cricket? Still, my body is working and I am running fast. I am fielding in the boundary, taking catches well and doing bowling well. Still, I am doing well and I am trying to keep myself (fit) for as long as possible.”
“Afghanistan team needs me as well at this stage but still maybe the Champions Trophy will be my last Champions Trophy in 50-over [format] and after that maybe one year and that’s it,” he said adding that he is keen to end his career with the next edition of ICC T20 World Cup.
“Hope so (about playing in the next T20 World Cup). If I am selected I will have to play,” he said.
Nabi added that he is well aware that he is growing old and as a result, he tries to keep fit by maintaining a strict diet.
“I am not young as a forty-year-old man. Still, I try my best to train hard and do my recovery as quickly as possible and it all depends on your food and how you eat. How you eat clean and good food as it makes you more fit,” he said.
Nabi went on to say that franchise leagues have helped Afghanistan to be the team it is today. According to him, many national players play for leagues around the world.
“It gives us a lot of experience and also brings that experience in the national team and we share it with the youngsters,” he said.
“Afghanistan’s T20 performance [in the World Cup 2024] was really good. We beat big teams in the tournament. Yeah, first time in semi-final and in the tough four and that was a great achievement in my cricket life and hopefully more to come. As a team we played and performed in the World Cup and everyone contributed a lot in this World Cup,” he said.
The Afghanistan Football Federation announced on Tuesday that Afghanistan’s under-15 national football team has qualified for the FIFA U-15 World Cup, marking a significant achievement for the country’s youth football development.
According to the federation, the qualification comes as a result of sustained efforts and strategic planning aimed at strengthening grassroots football across Afghanistan.
The federation said the successful organization of under-14 competitions in different zones of the country helped pave the way for the U-15 national team to secure a place in the global tournament.
In a statement, the federation said the achievement also follows efforts by its leadership, particularly Mohammad Yousuf Kargar, who held discussions with officials of FIFA while emphasizing the development of youth football in Afghanistan.
The tournament, part of FIFA’s global talent development program, aims to nurture young players, improve technical ability, provide international exposure, and prepare the next generation of footballers.
The competition will take place in Azerbaijan from October 22 to 31, 2026, with under-15 teams from FIFA member nations set to participate.
Players born in 2011 and 2012 will be eligible for the tournament.
Matches will be played in an 8-versus-8 format designed to maximize ball involvement, develop individual skills, improve decision-making, and provide young players with valuable international competition experience.
Afghanistan’s participation is being seen as a major opportunity for the country’s emerging football talent to compete on the world stage and further elevate the profile of Afghan youth football.
Sport
Afghanistan, Uzbekistan set for friendly cricket clash in Khost
The match will be played during a cricket league, and is part of the Cricket Development Support Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the ACB and the Cricket Federation of Uzbekistan in December last year.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has announced that it will host Uzbekistan’s national cricket team for a one-off T20 international on July 10 at the Rahmat Wali Masroori Cricket Ground in Khost province.
According to the ACB, the match will be played during a cricket league, and is part of the Cricket Development Support Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the ACB and the Cricket Federation of Uzbekistan in December last year.
The friendly match is scheduled to begin at 9:00 AM, with an Afghan XI taking on the visiting Uzbek side. The game will be broadcast live across Afghanistan and internationally through various linear and digital platforms.
Quoted by the ACB, Chief Executive Officer Naseeb Khan said the board remains committed to supporting emerging cricket nations such as Uzbekistan and is ready to extend similar assistance to other countries seeking to develop the sport.
He noted that the ACB has already organized capacity-building programs and training workshops for members of the Cricket Federation of Uzbekistan, while several Uzbek fast bowlers also participated in the ACB’s specialized Fast Bowling Camp last year.
Khan added that Uzbekistan has consistently maintained a friendly policy toward Afghanistan and that the two countries have strengthened cooperation in healthcare, politics, and trade in recent years. He said closer collaboration in cricket development would further deepen relations between the two neighboring nations.
Sport
Serbian Dejan Dedovic appointed head coach of Afghanistan national futsal team
Dedovic will lead Afghanistan’s preparations for upcoming regional and international competitions, overseeing the team’s technical development and training programs.
The Afghanistan Football Federation (AFF) has appointed Serbian coach Dejan Dedovic as the new head coach of the national futsal team on a two-year contract.
The agreement was signed during a ceremony attended by AFF officials, futsal committee members, technical staff, and sports journalists.
Dedovic will lead Afghanistan’s preparations for upcoming regional and international competitions, overseeing the team’s technical development and training programs.
The federation also announced several additions to the national team’s coaching staff. Iran’s Javad Asghari Moqaddam has been appointed technical director, while Morteza Mansour Samaei will serve as goalkeeping coach. Spain’s Uriel Masana has joined as assistant coach, Iran’s Sadeq Amani as fitness coach, and Brazil’s Joao Lira as team analyst.
In addition, the AFF renewed the contract of Mohammad Nasir Sedaqat as manager of the national futsal team.
The federation said it expects the newly assembled coaching staff to contribute to the continued development of Afghan futsal and strengthen the team’s competitiveness at the regional and international levels.
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