Afghanistan Cricket Board officials said on Thursday that Naveen-ul-Haq’s inclusion in the commentary panel should not be interpreted as a decision regarding his playing career. Naveen, who was part of Afghanistan’s squad for their recently-concluded T20I series against India, became a topic of discussion after being included in the six-member commentary panel for the one-off Test between Bangladesh and Afghanistan, scheduled to be played in Abu Dhabi from October 9. Naveen, who last played for Afghanistan in December 2024, has seen his career take a prolonged pause due to injury. He was also not picked in the playing XI during Afghanistan’s T20I series against India. The ACB’s decision to include Naveen in the commentary panel raised eyebrows, with some wondering whether the all-rounder was contemplating a move away from playing cricket. However, Afghanistan Cricket Board Chief Executive Naseeb Khan cleared the air regarding Naveen in a conversation with Cricbuzz on Thursday, saying he does not believe the player’s career is coming to an end. “Naveen is currently recovering from an injury and his rehabilitation process is ongoing. His priority at this stage is to complete his rehabilitation and return to cricket fully fit. His involvement in the commentary panel should not be interpreted as a decision regarding his playing career. Naveen remains part of our plans as a player, and once he completes his rehabilitation, he will be available for the team,” said Naseeb. “At the same time, we see value in giving opportunities to potential individuals in different areas of the game, including commentary,” he said. “There is a need to develop more people in this field, and providing such opportunities helps build capacity and prepare talented individuals for the next phase of Afghan cricket,” he said. “Therefore, his commentary involvement is simply an additional opportunity during his rehabilitation period and does not indicate any decision to move away from his playing career,” he concluded. Apart from Naveen, Ramiz Raja, Farveez Maharoof, Andrew Leonard, Ahmad Farhad Fidai and Mazhar Uddin Omi will be part of the commentary panel for Afghanistan’s Test against Bangladesh in the UAE, as per an announcement made by the ACB.
