Mohammad Nabi quits as Afghanistan skipper after winless T20 World Cup exit
Adelaide, Nov 4: Afghanistan captain Mohammad Nabi on Friday stepped down from his position with immediate effect, following the side's debacle in the T20 World Cup where they failed to win a single match.
Nabi though cited his disappointment with the team's preparation for the showpiece and disagreements with the management and selection committee for quitting captaincy.
Shortly after the team ended their campaign at the T20 World Cup with a narrow four-run loss against Australia here, the 37-year-old took to social media to announce his decision.
"Our T20 World Cup journey came to an end, with a result that not us nor our supporters were expecting. We are as frustrated as you are with the outcome of matches," the spin allrounder wrote in a statement shared on his Twitter account.
Following their loss to Australia, Afghanistan became the only team to stay winless in the tournament with three defeats and two no-results. They finished at the bottom of Super 12 Group I with two points.
"From the last one year, our team preparation was not to a level that a captain would want it or needed for a big tournament," he wrote.
"Moreover, in some of the last tours the team management, selection committee and I were not on the same page which had implications on the team balance.
"Therefore, with due respect, effectively immediately I announce to STEP DOWN as a CAPTAIN & will continue to play for my country when the management & team need me."
Nabi, who had taken over the captaincy just before the T20 World Cup in the UAE last year after Rashid Khan's resignation, thanked his supporters.
"I thank every single one of you from the bottom of my heart who came to the grounds despite matches being affected by the rain and those who supporters us worldwide, your love truly means a lot to us. Long live Afghanistan."
Nabi, who was earlier named captain in 2010, led Afghanistan in 23 games in his latest stint with the team winning 10 and losing 13 matches.
Afghanistan's most capped player, Nabi, has played three Tests, 133 ODIs and 104 T20Is, scoring a total of 4362 runs and snapping 234 wickets.
— Mohammad Nabi (@MohammadNabi007) November 4, 2022
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Catholic Bishops' body slams Bhagwat's remarks
New Delhi: The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India on Thursday slammed RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat for his reported remark that Pranab Mukherjee, when he was President, had said tribals would turn "anti-national" if there is no "ghar wapsi"Catholic Bishops.'
In a statement issued here, CBCI, a body of Catholic Bishops, referred to reports which said Bhagwat, at an event on Monday, claimed that Mukherjee, while he was President had appreciated ghar wapsi and told him that had it not been for the Sangh's work on reconversion, a section of Adivasis would have turned "anti-national".The CBCI called the report "shocking".
"Fabricated personal conversation being attributed to a former president of India and its posthumous publication with the vested interest of an organization with questionable credibility raises a grave issue of national importance," the CBCI claimed.
"Is it not the violent ghar wapsi program of VHP and other similar organizations, curtailing the exercise of freedom of conscience of economically deprived tribals, the real anti-national activity?" it asked.
'Ghar wapsi' is a term used by the RSS and affiliated organisations to refer to reconversion of Muslims and Christians to Hinduism, based on the belief that they were originally Hindus before converting to other religions.
The CBCI also questioned why Bhagwat did not speak about it while Mukherjee was alive.
"We, the 2.3 percent of Indian citizens who are Christians feel extremely hurt by such manipulated and motivated propaganda unleashed," it said.
In a post on X following the statement issued by CBCI, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien said, "Speak up. This is a start!"
"Bishops body have issued a statement condemning remarks made by Dr Mohan Bhagwat and RSS for defaming the Christian community," he said.
O'Brien added that they should ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi more questions, including why Christmas Day has been turned into "Good Governance Day".
The TMC leader, in a blogpost earlier this month, had said "hard questions" must be asked to the government with regards to the Christian community, including why the FCRA has been 'weaponised', and why has Manipur been 'ignored'.
