Team management, selectors & I were not on same page: Mohammad Nabi resigns as Afghanistan captain

Mohammad Nabi has stepped down as Afghanistan T20I captain shortly after the Afghan side's end of campaign in the T20 World Cup 2022 edition, on Friday (November 04). The senior player had first taken up the role of captaincy in 2013 and carried on with it till 2015 before he was reappointed as the captain ahead of the 2021 T20 WC in the UAE.

After Afghanistan gave a massive scare to hosts and defending champions Australia, on Friday at the Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, the 37-year-old all-rounder Nabi took to his Twitter account and shared a post for his fans. Nabi revealed that the team management, selection committee and he was not on the same page as he summed up Afghanistan's dismal T20 WC campaign.Here's Nabi's statement:

Dear Compatriots and Cricket Lovers!

Add WION as a Preferred Source

AoA;

Our T20 World Cup journey came to an end, with a result that not us or our supporters were expecting. We are as frustrated as you are with the outcome of matches.

From the last one year, our team preparation was not to a level that a captain would want it or needed for a big tournament. Moreover, in some of the last tours, the team management, selection committee and | were not on the same page which had implications on the team balance.

Therefore, with due respect, effective immediately I announce to STEP DOWN as a CAPTAIN & will continue to play for my country when the management & team need me.

I thank every single one of you from the bottom of my heart who came to the grounds despite matches being affected by the rain and those who supported us worldwide, your love truly means a lot to us. Long live Afghanistan.

With best regards,

Mohammad Nabi

ALSO READ |T20 WC 2022 points table: Here's a look at Super 12 standings after NZ qualify, AUS survive AFG scare

Under Nabi, Afghanistan failed to win a single game in the Super 12 round of the T20 WC in Australia. They produced their best-ever performance in their final league stage game, versus the Aussies, but it wasn't enough as the Asian side lost by four runs in pursuit of a challenging 169-run target. Opting to bowl first, Afghanistan restricted Australia to 168 for 8, who rode on Glenn Maxwell's 32-ball 54, and failed to chase down the target despite brisk knocks from keeper-batterRahmanullah Gurbaz, Gulbadin Naib and Rashid Khan.

It is to be noted that Nabi will remain available as a player in the limited-overs format despite stepping down as the captain. It will be interesting to see who will succeed him in the leadership role going forward.