Former Afghanistan captain Mohammad Nabi has announced his decision to retire from Test cricket after the ongoing one-off match against Bangladesh. The 34-year-old seasoned all-rounder, who has featured in three Test matches for Afghanistan, including the landmark maiden game against India last year, will continue to play white-ball cricket. He wants the country's youngsters to take center stage in the longest format. Rashid Khan became the youngest captain for a Test side recently after he took over the reins of the team. 

"Test cricket is an important format that every cricketer wants to play. I have served Afghanistan for the last 18 years. It was my dream as well to help Afghanistan obtain Test status and that dream is realised now," Nabi said in a video message released by the Afghanistan Cricket Board. "We have a maximum of 1-2 Test per year and I want, instead of me, that a young player gets to play, since the emerging youngsters are playing well in domestic cricket. I want them to get the chance they deserve so that we have a good Test team in the future as well."

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Nabi's role in Afghanistan's growth in the game

Nabi has played an important role in the rise of Afghanistan cricket at the world stage in recent years, featuring in the country' first-ever Test, T20I and ODI. Besides featuring in his side's first Test win, a seven-wicket victory in Dehradun over fellow red-ball newcomers Ireland in March this year, Nabi is also a regular in the in T20 circuit including playing in the IPL and the Big Bash League. He will continue to represent his side in the shorter formats of the game. "I will strive to play ODIs and T20Is for Afghanistan as long as I am able to," he said. Nabi has played 121 ODIs and amassed 2,699 runs while scalping 128 wickets. In 68 T20Is, he has 1,161 runs with a best of 89. He bagged 69 wickets in the shortest format of the game. 

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Rashid Khan smashes maiden Test fifty

Rashid earlier led Afghanistan's batting charge with his maiden Test fifty after they lost early wickets, having resumed the second day's play at 271-5. Former skipper Asghar, who was unbeaten on 88 overnight, managed to add just four runs to his score before gifting his wicket to left-arm spinner Taijul, just eight runs short of what would have been his first Test century. Taijul then bowled the other overnight batsman Afsar Zazai for 41 but Rashid, making his debut as the youngest-ever Test captain, launched a counterattack. Shakib struck back to remove tail-enders Qais Ahmad and Yamin Ahmadzai for nine and zero respectively but Rashid fought on, bringing up his 50 in as many balls. Off-spinner Mehidy Hasan took a sharp catch off his own bowling to stop Rashid's onslaught and end Afghanistan's innings. Taijul finished with 4-116 for Bangladesh while Shakib and off-spinner Nayeem Hasan claimed two wickets each. 

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