It is not easy to be a Muhammad Nabi. Coming out of a war-torn country like Afghanistan and then learning the ropes of the game in neighboring Pakistan required determination and patience. Life was tough, but Nabi made his Afghanistan debut in 2009. Fame was hard to find, but he hung on. So much so that today, after a long 13 years, he still plays. Add to that an IPL deal and ever-increasing popularity around the world, and you get the stuff of legends. Well, now imagine sharing the same dressing room with your son! The prophet could not have asked for more.
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On Friday, Afghan played for the same side in the CBFS 2022 Sharjah T20 along with his son Hassan, who is 16. As a father, all he wants now is to share the Afghanistan dressing room with his son. Although he agrees that this can only happen if his son is old enough to be there in the first place.
“It was my hope that we would play together one more time – and that we could play together in the national team,” Nabi told ‘National’
“I will try to play a few more years for Afghanistan and a few more years in the league as well. Hasan will grow further and is expected to play in the Under-19s. If he has the ability to play for the national team then hopefully he will play for the national team. In a proper league, it is [the first time we have played together. It is nice. He is under pressure. But he is a good talent.”
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The 16-year-old has enrolled with Sharjah Cricket Academy last year where he is training hard to make a name for himself. But make no mistake, compared to his father, he hasn’t seen any struggle. “Our families wouldn’t allow us to play cricket,” Nabi said. “[But] I know Hasan has good talent, so I give him more opportunities to play cricket in these good facilities.”
“As a child, I had nothing for myself. But Hassan has all these things.”
“It’s totally different. I’ve told him, when I learned cricket, the facilities I had were not like that. I was not allowed an academy, and I didn’t have proper facilities to play cricket.
“He has everything. He’s using my shoes, my gloves, my pads, bat, helmet. He has everything in his kit bag.”
“He’s a good student. I told him: studies first, then cricket.
He has already told her that being the son of Muhammad Nabi will put extra pressure on him. “I told him it was not easy,” said the prophet. He said, ‘There is more pressure on you because of my name. Work harder, and try to make the most of the potential you’ve been given.”
“People will say: ‘You are the son of the prophet Muhammad.’ It will be extra pressure on you, not me.”
The 37-year-old Nabi has been the backbone of the team that qualified for the World Twenty20 and 2015 World Cup in 2010, 2012 and 2014. Nabi took over the role of Navroz Mangal in March 2013 as the captain of Afghanistan and led the team to the 2015 World Cup.
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