Afghanistan on Friday named a new captain to lead the cricket team in the upcoming World Cup – a move that has been criticized by some of the top Afghan players.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board announced Gulbadin Naib would lead the one-day side, Rashid Khan the T20 team and Rahmat Shah the Test team.
Naib replaces Asghar Afghan, and board chairman Azizullah Fazli said the changes were a "long time investment and to compete in a better way".
But with less than two months before the start of the World Cup, few players took it to Twitter, opposing the move.
Former captain Mohammad Nabi said the team had "gelled really well under Asghar.”
Being a senior member of the side & having seen the rise of Afghanistan cricket @ashrafghani I don’t think it’s the right time to change the captain before the WC @afgexecutive The team has gelled really well under #Asghar & personally feel he is the right man to lead us @hmohib
— Mohammad Nabi (@MohammadNabi007) April 5, 2019
"Being a senior member of the side and having seen the rise of Afghanistan Cricket, I don’t think it is the right time to change the captain," said Nabi, who led Afghanistan in their first World Cup campaign four years ago.
Rashid Khan, the new T20 skipper also sounded off.
"With all the respect to the Selection Committee, I strongly disagree with the decision as it is irresponsible & bias," he tweeted.
With all the respect to the Selection Committee, I strongly disagree with the decision as it is irresponsible & bias. As we have @cricketworldcup in front of us, Captain #MAsgharAfghan should remain as our team Captain. His captaincy is highly instrumental for team success .(1/2)
— Rashid Khan (@rashidkhan_19) April 5, 2019
"As we have @cricketworldcup in front of us, Captain #MAsgharAfghan should remain as our team Captain."
Afghanistan play Australia in their opening match of the World Cup in Bristol on June 1.
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