Islamuddin Amiri, former captain of Afghanistan’s national football team, has announced that he will no longer participate in professional games.

“With much sadness but without regret, I realize that I am no longer able to adhere to the unwavering standard of excellence that professional football demands. I say this with a heavy heart: I am retiring from the football,” Amiri said on Facebook.

He added that his focus now is to become a “great coach.”

Amiri has mainly played as a defender on the football field and has 20 years of experience.

Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has predicted that Afghanistan will be among the four semi-finalists of the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy due to begin later this month in Pakistan.

Akhtar told the media that if the Afghan cricket team demonstrate ‘maturity’ and ‘patience’ then they can deliver surprising results in the upcoming mega event, Geo Super reported.

Akhtar also named hosts and defending champions Pakistan and arch-rivals India as his remaining semi-final contenders.

“I believe Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan will reach the semi-finals of the 2025 Champions Trophy,” said Akhtar.

“If Afghanistan’s team demonstrates maturity and their batsmen show patience, they could deliver surprising results,” he added.

The right-arm pacer further shared that he is hopeful for Pakistan to beat India before expressing his desire to see the fierce rivals colliding in the blockbuster final.

“I’m hopeful that Pakistan will defeat India on February 23. In fact, I believe that both Pakistan and India should also meet in the final of the tournament.

“If Pakistan defeats India and New Zealand in the Champions Trophy, the Green Shirts will have already won half the tournament.”

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will begin on February 19 with hosts Pakistan taking on New Zealand in Karachi.

England will play their Champions Trophy match against Afghanistan later this month, England's cricket board (ECB) said on Thursday, despite calls to boycott the game in response to the Islamic Emirate's restrictions on women.

Last month, a group of British lawmakers urged England to boycott the Champions Trophy group stage match against Afghanistan which will be held in Lahore on February 26.

South Africa Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie also supported calls for a boycott.

However, ECB chair Richard Thompson said they would play the match after discussions with the government, the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the players, adding that the cricketing community alone cannot tackle Afghanistan's problems.

"We remain of the view that a co-ordinated international response by the cricketing community is the appropriate way forward and will achieve more than any unilateral action by the ECB in boycotting this match," Thompson said in a statement.

"We have also heard that for many ordinary Afghans, watching their cricket team is one of the few remaining sources of enjoyment. As such, we can confirm that we will play this fixture."

The Islamic Emirate says it respect women's rights in accordance with Islamic law and local customs and that they are internal matters that should be addressed locally.