Gulbadin Naib

A batting all-rounder by profession, Gulbadin Naib is an Afghan cricketer who made his senior team debut back in 2011.

Naib is a powerful right-handed batter with an ability to chip in with right-arm medium-pace bowling when needed. He progressed quickly through Afghanistan's age-group sides and was the youngest member of the team that won the Division Five tournament in 2008.

He finally made his ODI debut for Afghanistan against Canada in the 2011-13 ICC Intercontinental Cup One-Day. Nabi also featured in Afghanistan’s first One-Day International against a Full Member Test-playing nation when they crossed swords against Pakistan in 2012.

Naib was drafted in the Afghanistan side for the 2012 World T20 Qualifier. He played 6 games and had a tournament to forget, scoring just 86 runs at an average of 13.50.

Over the years, Naib became an integral member of the Afghan squad and occupied the floating role in the middle order. 

In April 2019, Naib was named as the new ODI captain for Afghanistan ahead of the 2019 ICC Men’s World Cup. 

In an ODI match against Ireland ahead of the World Cup, Naib scalped 6 for 43 to dismantle the Irish batting lineup. It was his first 5-wicket haul and was also the third-best figures by an Afghan bowler in ODI’s.

Following the World Cup in 2019, where Afghanistan failed to make an impact, Naib was removed from the captaincy position and Rashid Khan was appointed as the new leader of the Afghan side.

To date he has continued to serve Afghanistan cricket with full commitment and was also included in their squad for the 2021 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

(As of October 2021)