Nawroz Mangal is widely regarded as one of the most important figures in shaping the history of cricket in Afghanistan. Though he did not have the best record in international cricket, Mangal’s influence on his nation, particularly during the early years, will never be overlooked.
Mangal was born on July 15, 1984, in the capital city of Kabul. However, he had a difficult childhood, spending most of his younger years in refugee camps in neighbouring Pakistan, where he found his love for the game. His cricketing talents were first discovered by Taj Malik, the then Afghanistan coach. He forced Mangal’s father to allow his son to pursue a career in the sport.
Mangal made his international debut as Afghanistan captain in 2009 against Scotland in the ICC World Cup Qualifiers. Under his leadership, the Afghan outfit became the first affiliate nation to gain full One Day International (ODI) status, the starting point of their journey to becoming a properly established cricketing nation, capable of beating teams playing internationally for almost a century and consisting of some of the best players in the world.
The 2010 ICC World Twenty20 was also Afghanistan’s first international event. Under the right-hander’s captaincy, they qualified for the showpiece event after beating Ireland, Scotland and the United States in the 2010 World Twenty20 Qualifier.
Afghanistan were put in a group alongside India and South Africa. They failed to win a single game, but that did not matter. What mattered was the nation coming on the international stage and staying there for the foreseeable future, something Mangal will always be remembered for.
In the same year, Afghanistan went on to win the 2010 ACC Trophy Elite for the first time, beating Nepal in the final in Kuwait, with captain taking two wickets through his spin.
Later in 2010, Mangal gave up the captaincy to all-rounder Mohammad Nabi but remained a key member of the squad. He got a second bite at captaining the team a few years later but once again gave the role back to Nabi in early 2013.
Mangal played his final game for Afghanistan in January 2017, against Ireland in the final of the Desert T20 Challenge, which the Asian side went on to win. The right-handed batter scored an unbeaten 17 in his final innings for his nation, chasing down a mere 72 runs in the final.
Mangal would end his international career having played 49 ODIs and 32 T20Is. He scored 1,139 runs in the 50-over format and a further 505 runs in the shortest format of the game. The top-order batter hit two centuries in ODIs, with his highest score being 129 against the United Arab Emirates in Dubai.
Disclaimer: This Exclusive News is based on the author’s understanding, analysis, and instinct. As you review this information, consider the points mentioned and form your own conclusions.
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