Mohammad Nabi says if batting clicks, Afghanistan can beat anybody in Tests

Afghanistan created history when they achieved their first win in Tests in only their second game as they thrashed Ireland by seven wickets to clinch the one-off game in Dehradun against Ireland. Rahmat Shah’s 98 and 76 and Rashid Khan, who became the first Afghanistan bowler to take five wickets in an innings were the stars in the team’s win. Speaking after the end of the match, the team’s veteran Mohammad Nabi said the team’s batting needs to click and if that happens, Afghanistan will pose a threat to any nation in the Test arena. “We have the world's best spinners and we try to concentrate on our batting line-up. If we can put up a good score on board then we are confident of beating any team in the world,” Nabi said.

Nabi entered an elite list of players in cricket with the victory over Ireland in the one-off Test. Nabi became only the second player after Bangladesh’s Mohammad Rafique to feature in the team’s maiden win in all three formats. Nabi was there when Afghanistan secured their first ODI win which was against Scotland by 89 runs in Benoni in 2009. Afghanistan’s first Twenty20 win came against Canada in 2010 while their first win in the World Cup came in 2015 when they defeated Scotland by one wicket in Dunedin.

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Nabi summed up the enormity of the achievement as Afghanistan won a Test in just their second year after suffering a terrible defeat in their first Test by an innings and 262 runs against India in 2018. “It's a very historic day for whole of Afghanistan. Especially for those guys who bring cricket from zero to the Test cricket. We played two games and we won one. When you win then teams will tell you to come and play with them. Nobody plays a weak team. They might think that Afghanistan is weak but not so much that we can't fight them,” Nabi said.

With Afghanistan securing a big win and with Ireland failing for the second time despite showing some good fight, Test cricket is in safe hands. Ireland will play England in July while Afghanistan’s next Test could potentially be around the same time.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Afghanistan lost their first Test against India by an innings and 262 runs.
• Ireland lost their first Test against Pakistan in Malahide.
• Rashid Khan picked up a maiden five-wicket haul in Tests for Afghanistan.