Afghanistan's fast bowler Naveen-ul-Haq has declared that he will be stepping away from One Day Internationals (ODIs) following the upcoming World Cup in India.
Having made his international debut in 2016, Naveen has represented Afghanistan in seven ODIs, claiming 14 wickets with an average of 25.42. Despite maintaining his key role in the country's T20Is with 27 matches under his belt, he has not participated in an ODI since 2021.
This led him to take a hiatus from the 50-over format in 2022 to prepare himself "mentally and physically" for the T20 World Cup last year.
In addition to his international commitments, Naveen has been a consistent presence in various T20 leagues worldwide, including the IPL, LPL, BBL, and PSL.
Naveen's inclusion in Afghanistan's 15-member squad for the Cricket World Cup earlier this month marked his return to the ODI format after more than two years. He is expected to be a vital part of the pace attack alongside Fazalhaq Farooqi, Abdul Rahman, and the all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai.
At the age of 24, Naveen conveyed in a social media post that his decision to retire was not an "easy one" but was made to extend playing career.
"It has been an absolute honour to represent my country and I would like to announce my retirement from the ODI format at end of this World Cup and will continue to wear this blue jersey in T20 cricket for my country," he said.
He further stated, "Making this tough decision was not simple, but it is necessary to prolong my playing career. I want to express my gratitude to the Afghanistan Cricket Board and all my fans for their unwavering support and love."
Afghanistan's World Cup journey is set to commence with a match against Bangladesh on October 7 in Dharamsala.
