Afghanistan's Nawroz Mangal bids adieu to international cricket

Kabul [Afghanistan], Jan.4 (ANI): Former Afghanistan skipper Nawroz Mangal, under whose leadership his side secured an ODI status in the 2009 World Cup Qualifiers and then qualified for the 2010 World T20 event, has announced his retirement from international cricket with immediate effect in order to take up a role of the national chief selector. While confirming the news of Mangal's appointment in the selection panel, Shafiqullah Stanikzai, the Afghanistan Cricket Board's chief executive officer, said it is an honour for Afghanistan cricket that a player like the 32-year-old, who has a big fan following and respect among others, is the chief selector. "So for the last six months we were in discussion with Nawroz to step down from his position as a player and accept the role as a chief selector. He, after consulting with friends, family and all stakeholders, has accepted the contract-based job, which is likely to run for two years. It's an honour for Afghanistan cricket that a player like Nawroz, who has a big fan following and respect among others, is the chief selector," he added of Mangal, who took over captaincy in 2007," ESPNcricinfo quoted Stanikzai as saying. Mangal, who was a part of the Playing XI when Afghanistan played their first international against Oman 13 years ago, has appeared in a total of 49 ODI and 30 T20Is for his country and scored 1139 and 454 runs respectively in the two formats. He also notched up 12 wickets with his part-time off break. Under Mangal's captaincy, Afghanistan have won 12 out of the 22 ODIs played and six of the 13 T20Is. The top-order batsman, who played his last match for Afghanistan in the third ODI against Bangladesh in October last year, was also the highest run-getter of his country in the 50-over format, till Mohammad Shahzad overtook his tally of runs in December 2015. Mangal's first assignment as the chief selector will be Afghanistan's Desert T20 tournament to be held in the UAE from January 14 to January 20, which will feature Hong Kong, Ireland, Namibia, Netherlands, Oman and Scotland apart from UAE and Afghanistan.(ANI)