Mohammad Nabi named captain of Afghan team for T20 WC after Rashid steps down
Kabul(PTI): Veteran all-rounder Mohammad Nabi has been named Afghanistan skipper for the upcoming T20 World Cup after star spinner Rashid Khan stepped down from captaincy protesting the selection of the national squad without his inputs.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) is yet to officially announce Nabi's appointment as captain but the 36-year-old all-rounder tweeted that he has been chosen to lead the team.
"At this critical stage, I admire the decision of ACB for the announcement of leading the National Cricket Team in T20 Format," the 36-year-old Nabi tweeted.
"... we will present a great picture of the Nation in the upcoming T20 World Cup," said the spin-bowling all-rounder who plays for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League.
In a shocking decision, Rashid on Thursday stepped down as the captain of the team, saying that his opinion was not sought before finalising the national squad for the T20 World Cup.
Rashid's stepping down came immediately after the ACB named him as the captain of the 15-member squad for the showpiece event.
"As the captain and responsible person for the nation I reserve the right to be part of the selection of the team," the 22-year-old spinner said in a post shared on his twitter handle.
"The selection committee and ACB has not obtained my consent for the team which has been announced by ACB media," said Rashid.
"I am taking the decision of stepping down from the role as the captain of Afghanistan T20 side effective immediately. It's always my proud playing for Afghanistan."
The T20 World Cup is scheduled to be held in the UAE and Oman from October 17 to November 14.
Afghanistan has been in turmoil following the takeover of the country by Taliban.
Soon after forming the interim government, the Taliban banned women from playing cricket or any others sports, casting doubts over Afghanistan men's team Test status.
As per ICC rules, all Test playing nations must have a women's team as well.
Cricket Australia (CA) all but confirmed on Thursday that its men's team's season-opening Test against Afghanistan, slated to start on November 27, will be scrapped due to the Taliban's order.
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South African police arrest suspect in mass shooting that killed 12, including 3 children
Johannesburg (AP): A 32-year-old suspect has been arrested in connection with a mass shooting which claimed the lives of 12 people including three children at an unlicensed pub earlier this month, South African police said on Monday.
The man is suspected of being one of the three people who opened fire on patrons in a pub at Saulsville township, west of South Africa's capital Pretoria, killing 12 people including three children aged 3, 12 and 16.
At least 13 people were also injured during the attack, whose motive remains unknown.
According to the police, the suspect was arrested on Sunday while traveling to Botlokwa in Limpopo province, more than 340 km from where the mass shooting took place on Dec 6.
An unlicensed firearm believed to have been used during the attack was recovered from the suspect's vehicle.
“The 32-year-old suspect was intercepted by Limpopo Tracking Team on the R101 Road in Westenburg precinct. During the arrest, the team recovered an unlicensed firearm, a hand gun, believed to have been used in the commission of the multiple murders. The firearm will be taken to the Forensic Science Laboratory for ballistic analysis,” police said in statement.
The suspect was arrested on the same day that another mass shooting at a pub took place in the Bekkersdal township, west of Johannesburg, in which nine people were killed and 10 wounded when unknown gunmen opened fire on patrons.
Police have since launched a search for the suspects.
South Africa has one of the highest homicide rates in the world and recorded more than 26,000 homicides in 2024 — an average of more than 70 a day. Firearms are by far the leading cause of death in homicides.
The country of 62 million people has relatively strict gun ownership laws, but many killings are committed with illegal guns, according to authorities.
According to police, mass shootings at unlicensed bars are becoming a serious problem. Police shut down more than 11,000 illegal taverns between April and September this year and arrested more than 18,000 people for involvement in illegal liquor sales.
