Afghan Cricketer Mohammad Nabi Claps Back at Reporter Over Mustafizur Rahman Query
Veteran all-rounder Mohammad Nabi from Afghanistan had a heated moment with a reporter during a post-match press conference in Bangladesh. The incident happened after a match between Noakhali Express and Dhaka Capitals in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), where Nabi is playing alongside his 19-year-old son, Hassan Eisakhil.
The reporter asked Nabi about the ongoing situation involving Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League. Nabi appeared frustrated by the question, insisting that it had nothing to do with him.
He responded strongly, saying, “What do I have to do with it? How am I connected to Mustafizur? I don’t want to talk about politics.” Nabi acknowledged Mustafizur’s skills as a bowler but felt the reporter’s question was inappropriate for him.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) recently sent another formal letter to the ICC, expressing concerns about safety during travels to India for the upcoming T20 World Cup. BCB is pushing for their matches to be moved to Sri Lanka as the tournament kicks off on February 7, with Bangladesh set to play four matches on Indian soil.
This situation comes in light of BCCI’s decision to drop Mustafizur Rahman from KKR’s squad, which has sparked considerable discussion in Bangladesh’s cricket community. Faruque Ahmed, a director at BCB, voiced his feelings about the matter, stating that disrespect towards their players is taken seriously and has caused disappointment among fans and officials.
As of now, the ICC has not made any official statements and is still looking for more details while remaining silent publicly.
Regardless of the controversy, Bangladesh has announced its T20 World Cup squad, with Litton Das named as captain and Saif Hassan as vice-captain. They will kick off their campaign against the West Indies on February 7 at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, sharing Group C with England, Italy, and Nepal.
