Afghanistan’s star pacer, Naveen-ul-Haq, remains committed to his decision to retire from One-Day Internationals (ODIs) even after his team’s historic victory over Pakistan in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. Naveen, aged 24, had previously announced his intent to retire from the 50-over format after the conclusion of the ODI World Cup to focus on his T20 career. Despite the remarkable win over Pakistan, he stated that he would not reconsider his decision.
Naveen Ul Haq said
Naveen, reflecting on the World Cup victory, said, “No, no, no. Not at all. That’s the final decision I’ve made. Luckily, I will remember this World Cup for the rest of my life – beating Pakistan and beating England. I’m hoping for the best in the upcoming games.”
The win over Pakistan was a significant milestone for Afghanistan, marking their first-ever victory against the Pakistani team after eight attempts. Naveen expressed his happiness in contributing to the nation’s joy through this win, especially given the challenging circumstances in Afghanistan.
“It does mean a lot to the people of our country back home. As you know, the situation back home. The earthquake also hit [in Herat] a few days ago. So, there’s not a lot of happiness in the country without cricket. So, at least we’ve given them some moments of happiness tonight,” he added.
During the match, Afghanistan successfully chased Pakistan‘s total of 282 runs with eight wickets to spare. The victory highlighted the progress of Afghanistan’s cricket team and provided hope and joy to its fans amidst difficult times.
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