Afghan cricket icon Mohammad Nabi has once again turned his platform into a force for humanitarian action, donating one million Afghanis (approx. $14,000) to assist Afghan refugees recently expelled from Iran. His effort comes amid a massive wave of deportations that has returned over 700,000 Afghans to the country in just the past month—many of them arriving with little more than the clothes on their backs.
A personal visit to witness the crisis
In a deeply personal response, Nabi traveled to a returnee camp in Kabul to see the situation firsthand. His on-site observation left a profound impression.
He described the scene as “dire and deeply concerning.”
Nabi documented the visit across his social media platforms, writing on X (formerly Twitter):
“I visited Afghan returnees from Iran and distributed 1M afghanis via Nabi Charity Foundation.”
This act of generosity, he said, is only the beginning.
On Facebook, he shared:
“Today I distributed 1 million Afghans to Afghan refugees returning from Iran through my charity foundation, Nabi Charity Foundation. This was the beginning of my foundation’s donations and God willing, this process will continue.”
Moved by the suffering, determined to help
Nabi’s intervention wasn’t driven by publicity—it was a reaction to what he saw as a growing humanitarian emergency. In videos shared across social media, he expressed how emotionally affected he was by the suffering of deported Afghan families.
He “expressed that seeing the plight of Afghan refugees being expelled from Iran deeply affected him, prompting him to immediately assist these refugees through the ‘Mohammad Nabi Charity Foundation.’”
He also gave voice to the trauma experienced by those returning:
“Families are exhausted and humiliated, returning with nothing.”
A call for regional responsibility and business solidarity
Nabi’s public statements didn’t stop at charity. He used his voice to challenge both regional governments and Afghanistan’s private sector to take action.
In a clear message to neighboring countries, he declared:
“I urge our neighbours to stop the mistreatment of Afghans.”
And again emphasized:
“I call on Afghanistan’s neighboring countries to end the mistreatment of Afghan refugees and to treat them in accordance with the principles of good neighborliness and international migration laws.”
He also appealed directly to Afghanistan’s business leaders:
[He] called on Afghan businesses to step up and support “our people in their time of need.”
And once again reinforced that call, urging Afghan businessmen to step up and support the returnees, stressing the need for solidarity in these difficult times.
Growing recognition for athlete-led aid
Nabi’s action follows a broader trend of Afghan cricketers stepping up during national crises. National team captain Hashmatullah Shahidi, for instance, previously provided housing to Afghan refugees returning from Pakistan.
But in this case, it’s Nabi’s high-profile leadership, emotional candor, and swift action that has resonated widely—earning him praise across Afghan social media for not just speaking up, but showing up.
With Afghan refugees continuing to face challenges upon their return, and deportations from Iran showing no signs of slowing, Nabi’s donation and activism signal more than a one-off gesture—it’s a rallying cry to Afghanistan’s institutions, neighbors, and leaders.
