Nabi wants to shine with bat in IPL if given a chance

Sunrisers Hyderabad all-rounder Mohammad Nabi, apart from bowling, wants to contribute handsomely with the bat in the Indian Premier League.

"(The) expectation is that our team will perform in the whole (entire) league. We have a new captain (in) Kane Williamson, who also played for last few years for SRH. In my opinion, my goal is to perform in batting, if I get chances and also perform in bowling," the 33-year-old right-handed batsman told PTI.

Yesterday, Nabi did not play SRH's first game in which they defeated Rajasthan Royals.

Nabi, who holds the record of scoring the fastest T120 fifty for Afghanistan, said that he would try to achieve a similar feat in the IPL.

"Yes, I will try my best, if I get a chance in batting, to get a fastest fifty in the IPL," he quipped.

Nabi also bowls off spin and says his bowling would also be an important aspect for the team.

"First my bowling is very important for the team to put the opposition under pressure and then it is my batting," he added.

Nabi said the IPL has aided Afghanistan players in terms of experience and boosting their confidence level.

"IPL has helped a lot (to Afghanistan cricket). Last year there were two Afghanistan players, this year there are four and hopefully six or seven next year.

"Because this experience (of the IPL) when we take back home, to the youngsters, or to the (training) academies or inside the national team, and the confidence-level will be high," he added.

SRH have got a new skipper in Williamson after Australian David Warner was banned from IPL following his involvement in the ball-tampering row in the third Test match against South Africa in Cape Town.

According to Nabi, Williamson is a "nice man and a good captain and supports everyone".