Afghanistan’s Tarakai, 29, succumbs to accident injuries

KARACHI: Najeeb Tarakai, the Afghanistan top-order batsman, has died at age 29 from injuries he sustained in a road accident.

Najeeb was hit last week by a car when he was crossing a road in Eastern Nangarhar. The Afghanistan Cricket Board confirmed on Tuesday that he succumbed to injuries.

Tarakai played one ODI and 12 T20Is, primarily as an opening batsman. His T20I best of 90 came against Ireland in 2017.

He averaged a healthy 47.20 in first-class cricket, including a career-high 200 and had six centuries against his name. After being the top scorer for Speen Ghar Tigers in the Shpageeza Cricket League last year, he was part of the Mis Ainak Knights squad in their run to the finals last month.