Playing in CPL will help me & Rashid to prepare well for IPL: Mohammad Nabi

TRINIDAD: Afghanistan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi believes he and his fellow countryman Rashid Khan will have a good preparation going into the Indian Premier League (IPL) as they would have played cricket in the ongoing edition of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

Nabi is currently playing for St Lucia Zouks while Rashid is playing for Barbados Tridents in the CPL. Both will play for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the upcoming IPL edition slated to start from September 19 in the UAE.

In an interview to IANS, Nabi said that having played a significant amount of cricket in the UAE, both he and Rashid are used to the pitches in the Gulf nation.

"Afghanistan plays most of their T20 games in Sharjah. Thus, it becomes more suitable for us (me and Rashid) when we travel to UAE for the IPL. But playing in CPL will definitely help us to prepare well for the IPL," said the all-rounder.

CPL is the first T20 league happening following the COVID-19 induced break, which halted the cricket calendar in March. And Nabi believes players will take time to adjust and get back to form.

"It is very tough to play after a long rest. During COVID-19 pandemic, I stayed at home for around 4-5 months. We were just training and were not practising any bowling or batting in the outfield.

"So, a few games in the beginning would be tough. However, we will try to get back into the rhythm as quickly as possible and hopefully, we will do well in the CPL," he added. IANS 

Also Watch: #NewsMakers: The Baghjan Saga