Asia Cup 2022: We were not mentally ready – Mohammad Nabi

Afghanistan captain Mohammad Nabi admitted they were not mentally ready for the game against India after a nail-biting loss versus Pakistan on Wednesday. Afghanistan were obliterated by a huge margin of 101 runs by India, which is their second biggest loss in the T20I format, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

Nabi won the toss and decided to bowl first but their bowlers were not up to the mark. Virat Kohli and KL Rahul added a fine alliance of 119 runs for the opening stand and batted at the top of their game.

The right-handed pair scored 52 runs in the PowerPlay overs and took the aggressive approach after settling at the crease. Furthermore, Afghanistan dropped two catches, including one of Virat Kohli, who scored a scintillating century, and it added salt to their injury. India went on to post a gargantuan score of 212 runs on the board after Virat Kohli scored 122 runs.

On the other hand, Afghanistan crumbled like a pack of cards in their batting innings. The Mohammad Nabi-led team found themselves stuttering at 21-5 after the PowerPlay overs after experienced Indian pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar breathed down the neck of their batters with his banana swing.

Kumar got the ball to move both ways and the Afghanistan batters found themselves at sea while facing him. The swing bowler returned with figures of 5-4, which was his first five-wicket haul in the shortest format of the game.

Mohammad Nabi said in the post-match presentation, “It was really tough to play Pakistan the other night, tight game and straightaway next game is against India, totally tough. We weren’t mentally prepared for that game. We tried our best to prepare but the boys were not ready mentally. Today we tried our best, with the way KL Rahul and Kohli started, we dropped catches also and in the batting we didn’t expect that much swing. As a captain with the way we started the tournament was on a high morale, we didn’t finish well but we played well.”

Meanwhile, Afghanistan were in the driver’s seat against Pakistan as 11 runs were needed off the final over and the Men in Green only had one wicket in hand. However, Naseem Shah spoiled the party for Afghanistan as he hit two sixes on the first two balls of the final over against Fazalhaq Farooqi.

Afghanistan had won their both matches against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in the Group stage but lost all of their three matches in the Super Four.