Hassan Eisakhil batting with his father Mohammad Nabi, making them the first father-son pair to bat together in a top-tier T20 league, was the icing on the cake of his match-winning knock in the BPL.

Eisakhil made 92 for Noakhali Express against Dhaka Capitals in Sylhet on Sunday. It was Eisakhil’s first overseas franchise league match, having made his competitive debut three years ago.

Nabi presented Eisakhil with the Noakhali cap before the toss. The Noakhali team management, under fire after the side lost their first six matches, finally chose Eisakhil, the 20th player they have used in this tournament. He proved his worth right away, as he struck seven fours and five sixes in his 60-ball stay, having added 53 runs for the fourth wicket with Nabi. He had earlier put on 101 for the opening stand with Soumya Sarkar.

There were shades of his father’s style in Eisakhil’s batting. He too holds the bat quite low down and has a languid stance. Eisakhil’s penchant for driving on the up was also evident, though he started off with square cuts and flicks. He played an imperious pull too, reminiscent of Nabi.

The father-son duo started batting together in the 14th over. Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Nabi’s long-time Afghanistan team-mate and now playing for Dhaka Capitals, got the father-son duo to hug as soon as they got together in the middle. There was plenty of encouragement from Nabi, as Eisakhil dominated their partnership. He also continuously explained to Nabi what he had picked up from the bowler’s hand and how he executed certain shots, particularly the straight sixes.

Nabi contributed 17 off 13 balls, before falling to Abdullah Al Mamun; Eisakhil followed him soon after, falling to Mohammad Saifuddin in the following over. Nabi has seen enough of Eisakhil in competitive matches, having played six matches against him in his short career. A video clip of Eisakhil hitting Nabi for a six went viral last year.

The pair has also been training together in the BPL. Nabi arrived late for Noakhali, but spent much time in the training ground with his son. Nabi did throwdowns, apart from bowling to Eisakhil. There was the sweet moment when Eisakhil helped Nabi to pack his bags after the training. Given Eisakhil’s performance in this game, he is all set to get more game time with his father in the XI.

Afghanistan Under‑19 cricket team began their preparations for the ICC Men’s Under‑19 World Cup on a high note with a convincing six‑wicket victory over Australia Under‑19s in their first warm‑up match, played on Sunday in Windhoek, Namibia. The contest was affected by interruptions and the target was adjusted under the Duckworth‑Lewis‑Stern (DLS) method.

Australia Under‑19s, who won the toss and elected to bat first, were bowled out for 167 runs in 43.5 overs at the Wanderers Cricket Ground. Afghanistan’s bowling attack was disciplined, led by Abdul Aziz with notable figures, supported by key contributions from Nooristani Omarzai and others.

Chasing a revised target under DLS, Afghanistan Under‑19s reached 164 for 4 in 35.4 overs, securing the win with six wickets in hand and 74 balls to spare.

Afghanistan Under-19s will face Sri Lanka Under-19s in their second warm-up match on Wednesday.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has announced the final squad of the national Under-19 cricket team for the 2026 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup, scheduled to be held in Namibia and Zimbabwe.

Mahboob Taskin has been named captain of the side, which will represent Afghanistan in the global tournament beginning on January 15, 2026.

The main squad comprises Azizullah Khan, Faisal Khan, Usman Khan, Khalid Ahmadzai, Azizullah Miakhil, Abdulaziz Khan, Nazifullah Amiri, Khater Stankzai, Nosrat Nooristani, Wahidullah Zadran, Salam Khan, and Zaidullah Shahzad. Aqil Khan, Faheem, and Izzat Noor have been selected as reserve players.

Earlier, the ACB confirmed that the players arrived in Windhoek, Namibia, on Wednesday to begin preparations for the tournament.

Afghanistan has been placed in Group 4 alongside South Africa, West Indies, and Tanzania. According to the tournament schedule, the Afghan Under-19 team will open its campaign against South Africa on January 16.

The 2026 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup will run from January 15, with matches jointly hosted by Namibia and Zimbabwe. Afghanistan will be aiming to deliver strong performances and further cement its reputation as a competitive force in youth international cricket.