Afghanistan star Nabi ready for Foxes spell
Sat 30 Jun 2018
All-rounder Mohammad Nabi can’t wait to meet up with his Leicestershire Foxes teammates and get the 2018 Vitality Blast underway at Northants Steelbacks on Wednesday.
Nabi has some experience of playing in England as he represented the MCC Young Cricketers in 2006 and 2007, a scheme that Foxes wicket-keeper Ned Eckersley also came through before joining Leicestershire CCC.
It’s been an action-packed 2018 so far for the all-rounder, who recently played in Afghanistan’s inaugural Test Match in India and, prior to that, in three T20 internationals for his country against Bangladesh where he was in fine form.
Nabi conceded fewer than six runs an over in each match, taking two wickets in two games and smashing 31 not out from just 15 balls to see his side to victory in the second fixture.
The all-rounder is a vastly experienced cricketer having played 63 T20 internationals as well as playing all over the world in domestic competitions.
He represented the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 2018 Indian Premier League (IPL). Sunrisers came top of the league table before they were knocked out of the competition in the play-offs to eventual champions Chennai Super Kings.
The progression of the Afghanistan national team is a story that warms the heart of cricket lovers, and Nabi and fellow spinner Rashid Khan will both being playing in Vitality Blast this summer.
“The IPL was a brilliant experience for me and being surrounded by some of the best players in the world was fantastic,” said Nabi.
“Rashid is playing for Sussex this summer whilst I’m in Leicester and seeing my national teammates get the recognition they deserve is fantastic. Hopefully he has a great tournament for Sussex and we meet at Finals Day, as that would be brilliant for Afghanistan cricket.”
Nabi will also have the chance to work with Head Coach Paul Nixon, someone he came up against in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL). Nixon was Head Coach of the Jamaica Tallawahs and Nabi was playing for St Kitts and Nevis Patriots.
He said: “Working with Paul [Nixon] should be really good fun, he has a reputation of being really energetic and positive and that’s something I believe I will thrive under, it will be great to work with him.”
* Tickets for our first Vitality Blast home game against Durham Jets on Friday, July 6 cost just £10 for adults and £5 for under 16s in advance of the fixture. Secure your seat at the Fischer County Ground today HERE
