Veteran Afghanistan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi, currently playing for Dubai Capitals in the ILT20 2025–26 season, has praised the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for its longstanding support in Afghanistan’s cricketing journey. Speaking to MEDIA on Friday, Nabi said that India’s contribution has played a major role in shaping Afghanistan Cricket’s growth over the years.
“BCCI helped a lot during that journey. The Indian government built a ground in Kandahar. Most of our players are also playing in the IPL. Last year, around 9–10 players featured in the IPL. They gave us a lot of exposure, and the experience we gained from that has strengthened our national team as well,” Nabi said.
Reflecting on Afghanistan’s remarkable rise, the 40-year-old all-rounder traced the team’s journey from its humble beginnings. “It’s been a long journey since 2001; now it’s 2025. It’s been around 24 years of bringing Afghanistan cricket to this stage, starting from zero. I’m really happy, and I’m still enjoying my cricket. There were a lot of ups and downs in the middle, but now Afghanistan is at a high level—playing many World Cups, reaching a World Cup semifinal. We will do our best to bring major events to Afghanistan,” he added.
When asked about Afghanistan’s prospects in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026, Nabi expressed confidence, noting that subcontinent conditions would favor his team. He pointed out that several Afghan players have significant experience in Indian conditions due to their participation in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
“We will try our best in this ICC T20 World Cup 2026 because the conditions will be suitable for Afghanistan players. Many of them have played numerous IPL games in these conditions. Hopefully, we perform better than we did in the last World Cup,” he said.
Nabi also reacted to reports suggesting that the ICC World Test Championship may expand to 12 teams from next year, adding Afghanistan, Ireland, and Zimbabwe. The move may eliminate the two-tier system in favor of a unified league aimed at increasing participation and global reach in Test cricket.
Commenting on the potential expansion, Nabi said, “It will be great to play the ICC World Test Championship. Hopefully, we do well. It will be a great experience to play with high-level Test teams.”