ICC T20 WORLD CUP 2021

October 29, 2021

Mohammad Nabi

Dubai International Stadium

Afghanistan

Post Match Media Conference

Pakistan 148/5, Afghanistan 147/6

Q. Just wanted to ask you about your decision to bat first in this Dubai pitch where the trend has been that you win the toss and win the match batting second. How would you defend that decision? And of course some of the ticketless fans barged into the stadium and created a lot of ruckus. A message for them to not repeat this again in the future from your side?

MOHAMMAD NABI: Yeah, I think batting decision was not that bad, but we played at the start aggressively because the pitch is a little bit holding. That's why. But a total on the board 148, 149 runs would be enough on these kind of pitches.

For the Afghan fans, please buy a ticket and come to the stadium. Don't repeat again. This is not good.

Q. Regarding the T20 World Cup Afghan team appearance here, it's amazing that after the current situation of Afghanistan, and you have given good performance today. You have played very well. I think overall the match was balanced. What do you think in future? Can you make some upset?

MOHAMMAD NABI: Yeah, we played only two games, and we won one game, and today was a close game. At the end Pakistan win the game. There's a lot of positive things in these games. We take the positive things and we have three more games, inshallah we'll do well, and now our team is in high morale. Yeah.

Q. Do you think the bowling let you down or the batting? Which would you have liked to be stronger in this contest?

MOHAMMAD NABI: I think it's both batting and bowling are balanced. But we are more concentrated on the bowling, the way our spinner is bowling, defend 150, almost 160 runs will be good enough in these conditions.

Q. Pakistan came into this game full of confidence; you've taken them extremely close tonight. How much motivation and confidence can you take from this performance tonight?

MOHAMMAD NABI: Yeah, every team is coming on confidence to win the game, and we try our best and we do 120 per cent in the game.

But it's part of the game, winning, losing, and Pakistan finished the game well at the end. But our boys played really well. We throw early wickets, then we put a decent total on the board. We restrict them very tight until 18th over. At the end, Pakistan won the game. That's a part of cricket.

Q. What was the plan thought process behind holding Rashid Khan until the 10th over because that is something which surprised a lot of fans and the media in the pressroom?

MOHAMMAD NABI: I think it's not too late after 10 overs. He bowled really well, and he restricted them quite well, the batsmen. That's why at the end they have 12 balls for 24 runs at the end. We restrict quite well.