Afghanistan’s veteran player Mohammad Nabi created history during the game against South Africa in the ongoing Champions Trophy 2025 match at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi on Friday. During the fifth over of the South Africa innings, Mohammad Nabi who is taking part in his first ever Champions Trophy game, scalped the wicket of South African opener Tony de Zorzi.
On the back of this scalp, Nabi became the first player to take a wicket on a Champions Trophy debut for a Test-playing nation after turning 40 years old. Nabi also became the fourth oldest player to make his debut in the Champions Trophy. Nabi who is 40 years and 51 days old, is also the oldest player from a Test-playing nation to play in the tournament for the first time.
Talking about the game, Nabi took another wicket of South Africa captain Temba Bavuma. Before getting out, the South Africa skipper scored a half-century and also built a 129-run partnership with Ryan Rickleton, who scored a century helping South Africa post a huge total of 315 runs.
Oldest Players To Make Champions Trophy Debut
Donovan Blake (USA) – 42 years, 284 days vs AUS, Southampton, 2004
Tony Reid (USA) – 42 years, 154 days vs NZ, The Oval, 2004
Mark Johnson (USA) – 40 years, 318 days vs NZ, The Oval, 2004
Mohammad Nabi (AFG) – 40 years, 51 days vs PAK, Karachi, 2025
Howard Johnson (USA) – 40 years, 25 days vs NZ, The Oval, 2004
Champions Trophy 2025, AFG vs SA Squads
Afghanistan: Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Ikram Alikhil, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Farid Malik, Naveed Zadran. Reserves: Darwish Rasooli, Bilal Sami
South Africa: Temba Bavuma (c), Tony de Zorzi, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen, Corbin Bosch.
