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The allrounder, who underwent back surgery in October, has returned to training but is yet to bat or bowl

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Dec-2019India allrounder Hardik Pandya is targeting an international return during the tour of New Zealand which begins in the last week of January 2020. Pandya, who underwent back surgery in October, indicated that, as per the plan worked out with India’s team management, he is scheduled to join the squad “midway” into the New Zealand series, then feature in the IPL, and then be ready for the T20 World Cup in Australia in October 2020After hosting Australia for the three ODIs at home in January, India will travel to New Zealand to play five T20Is, three ODIs and two Tests. Pandya last played for India during the T20I series against South Africa at home in September. That marked his return to the team following a period of rest after the World Cup in England, with the team management wanting him to focus on his strength training. Pandya, however, complained of back trouble during the South Africa series, according to the BCCI, and this eventually culminated in his undergoing surgery.On Monday, speaking to a small group of mediapersons over conference call, Pandya pointed out why he and the team management felt delaying the surgery was not an option. “We decided to do the surgery now because we saw the future and thought this is the right time,” quoted Pandya as saying. “We thought this was the right time because even if I take four months, I will be coming back before the New Zealand series, mid-way actually. That was the plan that I play some international games, the IPL and then the World T20. The biggest concern was the World T20 which touch wood is now in place.”Incidentally, Pandya said he had been carrying the injury, and “managing” it, for five years. But he realised that the back pain was hampering his performance. “I could have done the surgery a month later, but it would not have helped me in any way,” he said. “I was feeling the difference in my back and wasn’t able to take it.”I was managing the back, tried everything possible not to get into surgery or anything. After trying everything, we came to the conclusion that it wasn’t working. I noticed that I was not able to give my 100 per cent and that meant I was not doing justice to myself and the team. That is when I decided to go for the surgery.”In the spotlight: Hardik Pandya leads India off the field•Getty Images

The back problems have persisted since the Asia Cup in 2018, the first time Hardik complained of a stiff back. Since then the team management along with the selectors have monitored and managed the allrounder’s workload. Before his return in September, Pandya was gung-ho and had told that his “fitness had gone to the next level”, only for the issue to flare up again.Pandya said the long period of rehabilitation has been difficult for him, mentally. “It might sound cool, but it is not easy to keep coming back as you need motivation. Yes, we all have motivation, but you need to be sure that you do not go down the wrong path. You don’t question yourself and why is it happening to you. I try and back myself and stay positive. I have understood that every comeback gives me an edge and makes me stronger. I want people to say I learnt something when I was away due to injury. Physically I can always come back, but mentally it is important to stay healthy.”Pandya said he was focusing on staying patient and cited the examples of fast bowlers Pat Cummins and Jasprit Bumrah, who have had to spend time away from the game to recover from career-threatening injuries. “It is very important that you don’t rush. If your body is not ready and force yourself to come back right now, without being prepared, you might break down again,” Pandya said. “So that is the thing why people call for patience. Injuries are not easy, but being patient is important.”I have seen Pat Cummins coming back from injury being stronger than before. I have seen Jasprit Bumrah having a knee surgery and coming back and be what he is right now. I have seen cricketers come back from bad injuries and surgeries and I have spoken to them and learnt that patience is very important. After a knife touches your body, it becomes fragile. So, you have to give 200 per cent while making the return.”In the last week Pandya has returned to training in Mumbai, but said he was yet to bat or bowl. He did not rule out featuring for Baroda in the Ranji Trophy, but did not specify any date of return. “Just going step by step. Right now haven’t started bowling or any cricket-specific activity. We are following all the routines and touch wood everything is going as per plan. I am sure that I will make a strong comeback. We have to be a little careful and go with the flow, seeing the body and then take a call on coming back. Once we start cricket, it won’t take much time. Just need to be ready for the international standard.”

Jonny Bairstow has been ruled out of the remaining limited-overs games on England’s tour of Sri Lanka and could be in doubt for the Test series

George Dobell in Colombo21-Oct-2018Jonny Bairstow has been ruled out of the remaining limited-overs games on England’s tour of Sri Lanka and could be in doubt for the Test series.Bairstow missed Saturday’s ODI after injuring his right ankle ligaments playing football during the warm-up to training on Friday. Alex Hales, who is vying with Bairstow for one of the opener’s spots, took his place in the England side that won the fourth ODI.The England management have now announced that Bairstow will not be available for the final ODI – in Colombo on Tuesday – or the one-off T20 that follows it on Saturday.”He will be monitored and assessed on a daily basis by the England medical team in Sri Lanka and a further update will be given in due course on his fitness ahead of the three-match Test series starting next month,” the ECB said in a statement.While there are several wicketkeeping options within England’s Test squad – not least Jos Buttler, who kept in the Ageas Bowl Test against India after Bairstow sustained a finger injury, Rory Burns and Ollie Pope, who kept for England Lions during the English domestic season – any concerns over Bairstow’s ability to keep could result in a call-up for Surrey’s Ben Foakes, who is regarded by many as the best keeper in England.The manner of Bairstow’s injury is sure to renew debate over the wisdom of playing football as a warm-up activity. While it is hugely popular among the players, there have been some notable injuries caused by it over the years; albeit not many of them in recent times. Ashley Giles, who is among the favourites to succeed Andrew Strauss as England’s managing director, has gone on the record in the past expressing his reservations about cricketers playing football in training.The first Test starts in Galle on November 6, with England playing two two-day warm-up games beforehand.

Dwayne Smith’s second century of CPL 2017 kept the playoff hopes afloat for Barbados Tridents as they held off a furious charge from St Lucia Stars to win by 29 runs at Kensington Oval

The Report by Peter Della Penna01-Sep-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsDwayne Smith scored a century off 64 balls•Getty Images

Dwayne Smith’s second century of CPL 2017 kept the playoff hopes afloat for Barbados Tridents as they held off a furious charge from St Lucia Stars to win by 29 runs at Kensington Oval. Rahkeem Cornwall’s adventurous 78 off 44 balls made the Tridents bowling unit sweat in defence of 195 for 4 but his curious decision to retire hurt in the 18th over – he had been hit in the stomach by a Kieron Pollard short ball in the 16th over – with 49 needed off the last 17 balls was a symbolic moment for the downtrodden franchise as Stars became the first team in CPL history to record a winless season.Tridents’ top-order reshuffleComing out of their 59 all out debacle against Guyana Amazon Warriors two nights earlier, Tridents made a few strategic changes to the batting order in an effort to right the ship. Most significantly, Nicholas Pooran was promoted to open, with Kane Williamson dropped down to No. 3 to accommodate the feisty wicketkeeper. While it didn’t have the desired effect for Williamson, who was later stumped down the leg side off Cornwall for 2, Pooran wound up making a season-best 32 off 20 balls. The left-hander thumped four fours and two sixes in the Powerplay, including an audacious one-handed tennis backhand over the extra-cover rope. He perished attempting it again, skying a slower ball off Obed McCoy for an easy catch in the region of point for wicketkeeper Andre Fletcher.Strike a pose DwayneSmith played second fiddle to Pooran early in his innings and took 44 balls to reach his half-century, but was drawn out of his shell by Shane Watson in the 14th over, striking him for four, six, four off the last three balls of the over. The last stroke was his most elegant, a marvellous cover drive after which he held his pose for the cameras. He showed he was still in a modeling mood in the 18th over, once again freezing his frame after another sumptuous cover drive off Kyle Mayers. Only a floodlight failure stood in the way of triple figures with a 40-minute delay after the 19th over with Smith stuck on 90. When play resumed, it took him three balls to get on strike but he made his century with a ball to spare, smashing consecutive sixes over extra cover off Watson. His second fifty came in less than half the time as his first, as he moved from 50 to 100 in just 20 deliveries.Supernova chaseDespite losing Fletcher in the first over, Stars raced through the Powerplay behind a belligerent second-wicket partnership between Cornwall and Watson. Even after Watson fell for 22 off 17 in the sixth over, Cornwall continued undaunted, smashing Akeal Hosein’s left-arm spin for a pair of sixes in a 16-run seventh over. Stars were 92 for 2 in nine overs with Cornwall still striking at two runs per ball, though Christopher Barnwell spilled a basic chance five yards inside the long-off rope with Cornwall on 40 in the ninth over.Stars dimmed by PollardA key sequence occurred from overs 10 through 12 as captain Kieron Pollard lassoed Cornwall and Johnson Charles’ scoring. Tridents conceded just eight runs across the three overs with Pollard giving up just five across the 10th and the 12th while snaring Charles at deep midwicket. Cornwall got to his fifty off 26 balls but the required run rate, which had been manageable to that point, jumped from 9.45 to 12.Pollard then returned for his last over in the 16th and conceded just two singles off the first five balls before Cornwall took him for six over deep midwicket, leaving the equation at 51 runs needed off 24 balls. Despite not taking Cornwall’s wicket, Pollard’s fourth delivery more or less served the same purpose when he pinged Cornwall in the midsection.Initially the batsman was okay to continue but Cornwall wound up facing just five more deliveries. A delay ensured he faced one ball in the 18th over before deciding he could no longer continue. Pollard was unimpressed with Cornwall’s inability to fight through the pain, not to mention unsympathetic, and he gave the Stars batsman a verbal spray on his way off the field. Stars’ hopes for a win faded soon after.

Mark Adair, the right-arm pacer, and Sean Terry, the top-order batsman, have earned call-ups to the Ireland squad to face Afghanistan in a five-match ODI series next month

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Jun-2016The uncapped pair of Mark Adair, a right-arm seamer, and Sean Terry, the top-order batsman, have earned call-ups to the Ireland squad to face Afghanistan in a five-match ODI series next month.George Dockrell and Max Sorensen have been dropped while Boyd Rankin has Warwickshire commitments. Peter Chase, the seamer with one ODI cap, and allrounder Tyrone Kane have earned recalls.Adair, 20, has played only one first-class match in which he took a solitary wicket alongside four T20 games in which he has two wickets. Terry, the son of former England batsman Paul Terry, is relatively more experienced, with 11 first-class matches under his belt, in which he has scored 440 runs at 29.33 including five half-centuries. In eight List A games, Terry has 161 runs at 32.20.

Ireland squad

William Porterfield (capt), Mark Adair, John Anderson, Peter Chase, Ed Joyce, Tyrone Kane, Tim Murtagh, Andy McBrine, Barry McCarthy, Kevin O’Brien, Stuart Poynter, Paul Stirling, Sean Terry, Gary Wilson.

“Mark Adair has impressed me with his skills in the limited opportunities I have seen him, and the series is ideal to get him involved with our international programme,” John Bracewell, Ireland’s head coach, said.Bracewell added that Terry’s recent unbeaten double century against Scotland A boded well for him. “Naming 14 players – as opposed to 13 for the Sri Lanka series – gives us an opportunity to bring in batting cover and we believe that Sean Terry covers all the positions required,” he said. “He showed his qualities with his recent unbeaten 251 against Scotland A. Tyrone Kane gives us allrounder cover in the squad as we look to increase our depth in this area with the retirement of John Mooney.”Explaining the omission of Rankin, Bracewell said that it had been known that this series would potentially clash with his county duties and they had come to an agreement with Warwickshire.”When we re-signed Boyd back into the Ireland squad at the end of last year, the Afghanistan series was possible but unconfirmed. The likely series dates fell at a crucial time for Warwickshire, so we agreed he would not be available for the series if it was confirmed, but would be for all other major commitments in one of our busiest-ever years.”On balance, we felt a partially-available Boyd was better than not at all. He’ll be 32 next week and there is a lot of cricket coming up between now and the end of the summer. Both parties will continue to carefully monitor and manage his workload in his best interests and longevity in the game. Of course, succession planning is vital, so it’s an ideal opportunity for us to look at other options – Peter Chase is the logical replacement for Boyd and is currently bowling very well.”Regarding left-arm spinner Dockrell, who has played 52 ODIs but did not appear in the two matches against Sri Lanka, Bracewell said that Ireland’s spin stocks were reasonably healthy. “With Andy McBrine bowling so well at present and Paul Stirling an experienced back-up, we feel in the early stages of the series, an extra spinner is a luxury we don’t need. We will of course look at our spin options as the series progresses, and if necessary, strengthen that area.”Ireland will take on Afghanistan in the first ODI on July 10. All five matches are scheduled to take place at the Civil Service Cricket Club in Belfast.

Jason Holder claimed figures of 3 for 11 in four overs, including a maiden, to set up Barbados Tridents’ third win in a row

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Jun-2015
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsJason Holder was the key performer in Barbados Tridents’ third straight win•Caribbean Premier League

Jason Holder claimed figures of 3 for 11 in four overs, including a double-wicket maiden, to set up Barbados Tridents’ third win in a row. The support cast was also impressive as Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel were kept to 95 for 9. Dwayne Smith and Dilshan Munaweera then launched the chase with a flurry of boundaries as Tridents sealed the win in 13.1 overs with eight wickets to spare.After having opted to bat, Red Steel’s top order was blown away by Holder and Ravi Rampaul. Cameron Delport perished for a two-ball duck before Jacques Kallis pulled a short one straight to long leg. From 2 for 2, Red Steel stumbled to 4 for 3 next over; Holder striking twice in two balls to remove Kamran Akmal and Darren Bravo. The other Bravo, Dwayne, however, offered semblance of a fight through 30 off 28 balls, adding 46 for the sixth wicket with Jason Mohammaed.However, Bravo’s wicket triggered another collapse as they went from 66 for 5 to 93 for 9. While Holder was the best bowler for the hosts, Rampaul, Robin Peterson, Kieron Pollard and Jeevan Mendis pitched in with a wicket each, before ceding the stage to Smith and Munaweera.The openers got into their groove quickly, sending Tridents racing to 51 in six overs. Munweera who was reprieved on 25 by Kallis added 14 more before holing out to deep cover off Sulieman Benn. Smith was out for 33 next ball but Shoaib Malik, aided by Jonathan Carter, finished the chase with a pulled four.

Persistent rain on the fourth day robbed Northern Districts of a chance to push for their first win in the Plunket Shield as they drew the match against Canterbury at Seddon Park in Hamilton

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Dec-2012
ScorecardPersistent rain on the fourth day robbed Northern Districts of a chance to push for their first win in the Plunket Shield as they drew the match against Canterbury at Seddon Park in Hamilton. Only 27 overs were possible on the last day as rains washed out almost two sessions. Northern Districts, who had set a target of 425 runs for Canterbury, managed to pick up two wickets in the time possible, with Peter Fulton staying unbeaten on 68.Northern Districts had put themselves in a strong position after a dominant second-innings performance that helped the team declare on 410 for 5, with opening batsman Joseph Yovich scoring 128 and four other batsmen following up with half-centuries. Yovich shared two century partnerships, with James Marshall for the second wicket and Daryl Mitchell for the fourth. After Yovich’s dismissal, BJ Watling and Corey Anderson scored two more half-centuries and pushed the score over 400, giving the team just over a day to bowl Canterbury out.The batsmen struggled in the first two innings. Canterbury had put Northern Districts in and struck early. But Yovich and Marshall strung an 86-run stand to help Northern Districts made gradual progress. But Ryan McCone triggered a collapse when he had Marshall out for 47. McCone picked up three more wickets and received support from Gareth Andrew who picked up three as Northern Districts were bowled out for 200.Canterbury’s response was disastrous to start with – they lost their first six wickets for only 35 – but a 97-run stand between Todd Astle, who scored 53, and Andrew, who scored a 69-ball 89, brought the innings score to a comparable 186. Graeme Aldridge was the most successful bowler with 5 for 45.

Dwayne Bravo, the West Indies allrounder, has picked up an ankle injury and will miss West Indies A’s two four-day matches against Bangladesh A this month

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Nov-2011Dwayne Bravo, the West Indies allrounder, has injured his ankle and will miss West Indies A’s two four-day matches against Bangladesh A this month. Bravo, who was named captain of the A side for the series, picked up the injury during the team’s warm-up session the day before the first four-day game, which is scheduled to start in Antigua on November 5, and has travelled back to Trinidad & Tobago. Veerasammy Permaul will take over the captaincy of the West Indies A team, while a replacement player has not yet been named.Bravo’s career has been blighted by injury in the past few years, since he suffered a serious ankle injury in 2008 which kept him out of the game for eight months. He suffered a big blow this year when his World Cup ended due to a knee injury he sustained in West Indies’ first game of the tournament. He returned for the home one-day series against Pakistan but asked for a break after the first two ODIs against India in June to work on his game.Since then Bravo has turned out for Chennai Super Kings in the Champions League T20 and for Trinidad & Tobago in the Regional Super50 tournament. The matches against Bangladesh A were to be his first first-class matches since the Tests in Sri Lanka last year but his return to the longer format has now been delayed further.

New Zealand ended the fourth day dreaming of a famous win in Ahmedabad after India’s vaunted batting proved no match to an inspired Chris Martin

The Bulletin by Siddarth Ravindran07-Nov-2010
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Chris Martin bowled Sachin Tendulkar, turning in one of his finest performances•AFP

New Zealand ended the fourth day dreaming of a famous win in Ahmedabad after India’s vaunted batting proved no match against an inspired Chris Martin, whose ninth five-wicket haul left the home side effectively at 110 for 6. The mayhem in Motera in the second half of the day was in complete contrast to the morning session when Kane Williamson’s debut Test century steered New Zealand past 400 and the match looked set to meander towards a dull draw. Instead, India are looking to their chief firefighter, VVS Laxman, to put in a third consecutive match-turning second-innings effort.India seemed to have wrested a slim advantage after prising out the final five New Zealand wickets for 42. With Hamish Bennett injured and Jesse Ryder nursing a calf strain, New Zealand’s man-for-all-occasions Daniel Vettori would have to share the new ball with Martin. The possibility of Virender Sehwag cashing in to help India force a result was very much alive.What unfolded couldn’t have been more different. Gautam Gambhir made his third successive second-innings duck, inside-edging Martin to the keeper. On a pitch which had till then seemed comatose, Martin got the ball to jag in appreciably, forcing the batsmen to play cautiously.New Zealand’s fielding had been abysmal in the first innings, with several dropped catches, but substitute Martin Guptill’s sublime bit of fielding sent back dangerman Sehwag. Rahul Dravid punched the ball towards mid-off, where Guptill threw himself to his left to cut it off, causing confusion among the batsmen. Dravid stopped and sent Sehwag back after taking several paces down the track, and Guptill’s reverse-flick while still on his knees was accurate enough for the bowler to run out the stranded Sehwag.It got even better for New Zealand as a tentative Dravid poked at a ball outside off from Martin that held its line to feather it to the keeper. India went in to tea at 2 for 3, but were comforted on seeing the man in form, Sachin Tendulkar, pick off ten runs off a Martin over soon after the break.

Smart Stats

• Kane Williamson’s 131 is the highest score by a New Zealand batsman against India on debut. It is also the second-highest score by a New Zealand batsman on debut behind Matthew Sinclair’s 214 against West Indies.

• Chris Martin’s spell of five for 25 is the fifth-best bowling performance by New Zealand bowler in India and at present, the second best by a visiting bowler at Ahmedabad behind Dale Steyn’s 5 for 23.

• India’s score of 15 for 5 is their worst score at the fall of the fifth wicket against New Zealand and their second lowest overall. Three of the six worst scores at the fall of the fifth wicket have come against New Zealand.

• Daniel Vettori became the fifth New Zealand batsman to reach 4000 runs in his 101st Test. He has 3995 runs for New Zealand and 8 for the ICC World XI.

• Gautam Gambhir has now made three ducks in his last five innings and just 86 runs in his last nine innings. During that period, his average has fallen from 57.50 to 49.92.

That proved only a temporary relief as another Martin indipper took Tendulkar’s inside-edge on its way to the leg stump. Martin greeted new man Suresh Raina with a surprise bouncer, and then slipped in a fuller delivery the next over; Raina was caught on the crease and nicked a drive to slip. India were 15 for 5 – India’s second-worst score at five down in their Test history – and there could have been further trouble when Dhoni was struck high on the pads three balls later by yet another incutter.Laxman and Dhoni set about reviving the Indian innings, though there were no easy runs on offer from the accurate New Zealand spin pair of Vettori and Jeetan Patel. They eased the ball around for singles, and threw in the odd boundary, and when they had blunted the bowling for 24 overs, New Zealand’s hopes started to recede. Martin wasn’t done for the day, though, and an effort-ball from him produced some extra bounce and Dhoni chopped the ball onto the stumps. Harbhajan came out and attempted the big shots, pulling some off and missing others, but manage to remain unbeaten with Laxman at stumps.New Zealand will fancy their chances of winning this Test, a position India would have expected themselves to be in after their first innings. First, they hadn’t anticipated New Zealand’s spirited batting performance. Williamson, supported by his captain Vettori, who played a characteristically gritty innings, added 86 in the morning before Williamson fell in the final over before lunch with New Zealand well past 400.India’s chances in the session before that late breakthrough came in the first four overs: a couple of lbw appeals against Vettori and a Williamson nick just short of third slip. For the next 100 minutes, it was all New Zealand. Williamson hit a couple of boundaries off Zaheer Khan – a pull behind square and a glance to fine leg three balls later – to move from 93 to 101 and become the eighth New Zealander to make a hundred in his first Test. There were no extravagant theatrics that you might expect from a 20-year-old who had played a fine innings to rescue his team from a tight spot; just a big grin and a wave of the bat towards the dressing room.Vettori settled down after his initial jitters, and went past 4000 Test runs, again showcasing how much his batting has developed in the last few years. India’s bowlers were flat in the morning and it didn’t help that Zaheer, who has been Dhoni’s go-to bowler, didn’t appear to be 100% fit, rarely hitting even 130kmh. India wheedled out the last four New Zealand wickets in the hour-and-a-half after lunch but could scarcely have imagined the nightmare to follow.

Australia remain confident that Peter Siddle will be fit for the third Test despite the selectors calling for the Tasmania fast bowler Brett Geeves as a backup

Brydon Coverdale in Perth14-Dec-2009Australia remain confident that Peter Siddle will be fit for the third Test despite the selectors calling for the Tasmania fast bowler Brett Geeves as a backup. Siddle bowled at full speed in the WACA nets on Monday and did not show any signs of the hamstring strain that troubled him in Adelaide, but much will depend on how he recovers after training.Following his bowling session, Siddle walked laps of the WACA with the team physio Alex Kountouris, who has spent much of the week working with Siddle in an effort to ensure he is fit for the Test starting on Wednesday. The wicketkeeper Brad Haddin said while Siddle was not yet a certain starter, the signs were positive.”There’s still a little bit of doubt around Peter,” Haddin said. “He bowled today, by all accounts he’s pulled up pretty well but with all these sort of injuries it’s not so much the first day, it’s how you pull up the next day. So he will have to be reassessed tomorrow but by all reports he pulled up pretty well after his spell today.”If Siddle does not prove his fitness before the Test, it would mean a likely debut for his Victorian team-mate Clint McKay, who was the 12th man in Adelaide and stayed with the squad for the Perth Test. The chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch said that while Siddle was expected to be cleared, they were covering their bases by calling for Geeves, who was due to join the team in Perth on Monday night ahead of the series-deciding third game.”In order to ensure there is sufficient cover, a decision has been made to have Brett Geeves available as a standby player in Perth,” Hilditch said. “Brett gets his opportunity on the back of his recent strong performances in Sheffield Shield cricket and because the panel feels he will be well-suited to the conditions at the WACA should an opportunity present itself.”Geeves, a 27-year-old right armer, toured with the limited-overs team to South Africa earlier in the year, and has appeared in two ODIs and a Twenty20 international. However, his prospects seemed to suffer when he was not called up for the injury-hit visit to India in October and November.Five wickets in Tasmania’s Sheffield Shield win over Western Australia last week helped remind the selectors of his worth. In 39 first-class games he has taken 134 wickets at 34.41 and is well-known in Australian cricket circles for his lively blog. The country’s fast-bowling stocks are being tested with the contract holders Ben Hilfenhaus, Brett Lee and Stuart Clark on the injured list.

Afghanistan allrounder had said in November last year that he would not play ODIs after the Champions Trophy

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Feb-2025Afghanistan allrounder Mohammad Nabi may not retire from ODIs after the upcoming Champions Trophy as previously planned and harbours hopes of playing international cricket along with his son Hassan Eisakhil.In November last year Nabi, 40, said he would quit ODIs at the end of the Champions Trophy but is now “still thinking” about his future.”These might not be my last ODIs, I will probably play less ODIs and give chances to the youngsters to build experience,” Nabi told the ICC. “I’ve discussed with the senior players and in the high-level games, maybe or maybe not, we’ll see. It will depend on my fitness.”Nabi’s 18-year old son, Eisakhil, is a batter who represented Afghanistan at the Under-19 World Cup in 2024 and his father hopes they will play together for the country soon. “It’s my dream. Hopefully we can do it. He is doing very well … he is a hard worker and I’m also pushing him to do work.”I want him to make his own goals, if you want to get to be a high-level cricketer, you have to work hard. It’s not enough to make 50 or 60, you have to score 100-plus. He’s listening and pushing all the time. When he can talk to me, I try to give him advice to give him confidence for the game.”Related

• Shahidi: 'We're not here to just participate, we want to win the title'

• Afghanistan's Mohammad Nabi to retire from ODIs after Champions Trophy 2025

• Giant-slayers Afghanistan are serious contenders for semi-finals

Afghanistan are in Group B in the Champions Trophy along with England, Australia and South Africa. It is their first appearance in the tournament after finishing among the top-eight teams (sixth place) at the 2023 ODI World Cup. They were semi-finalists at the 2024 T20 World Cup too.”The preparations for the Champions Trophy have been good,” Nabi said. “I’ve been busy playing in the Bangladesh Premier League, was a champion over there. I did three sessions with the national team in Abu Dhabi so I’m in good shape.”Winning the BPL gave me more confidence, from a tough position in the final. In the whole tournament, we did really well and my performances were good as well, bowling and also batting, I helped finish the job in four or five matches.”Afghanistan had to make one change to their 15-man squad for the tournament, replacing the injured AM Ghazanfar with left-arm spinner Nangeyalia Kharote. “He’s a youngster, who has been doing really well over the last two years,” Nabi said. “He’s a very good spinner but he’s a good fielder as well. He bowled really well against South Africa and Ireland in Sharjah.”Afghanistan begin their Champions Trophy campaign against South Africa in Karachi on February 21 before travelling to Lahore to play England and Australia on February 26 and 28.