Last updated on: February 28th, 2025
Gulbadin Naib Biography – A Body-Builder turns into a Cricketer!
In this post, we’ll know about the Biography of Gulbadin Naib, his inspirational journey from a body-builder to the captain of the Afghanistan Cricket Team, Cricket stats & more interesting facts about him.
Family Background Gulbadin Naib:
Gulbadin Naib was born on March 16, 1991, in Pol-e Alam, Afghanistan. The names of his father and mother aren’t known.
He is the eldest among his siblings, and also his father was unemployed. So, it became his duty to feed his family properly.
To earn the Bread & Butter for his family, he used to do bodybuilding in a local gym and wanted to pursue it as his career. Meanwhile, he got introduced to cricket somehow and then started playing cricket regularly.
Initial Cricket Days of Gulbadin:
In 2008, in ICC’s Divison V tournament, held in Jersey, he made his debut for Afghanistan against Japan. He was the youngest among the players on the team at that moment. And the most interesting fact is, it was also the debut match of Afghanistan cricket.
In the same tournament in a do-or-die match against Nepal, he was the “ball” winner. Later, Afghanistan won the Division V Cup by defeating Jersey in the final of the tournament.
Gulbadin Naib Biography:
| Gulbadin’s Profile | |
|---|---|
| Personal Life | |
| Full Name | Gulbadin Naib |
| Nickname | Not Known |
| Date of Birth | March 16, 1991 |
| Age | 34 years 0 months (in March, 2025) |
| Nationality | Afghan |
| Religion | Not Known |
| Zodiac/Sun Sign | Pisces |
| Birth Place | Pol-e Alam, Afghanistan |
| School | Not Known |
| College | Not Known |
| Physical Stats | |
| Height | 5’ 6” (170 cm) |
| Weight | 72 kg (158.73 lbs) |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Family & Relationships | |
| Father | Not Known |
| Mother | Not Known |
| Siblings | 2 Brothers |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Wife | Not Known |
| Children | 3 sons & 1 daughter |
| Career | |
| Profession | Cricketer |
| Coach/ Mentor | Taj Malik |
| Playing Role | All-rounder |
| Batting Style | Right-hand bat |
| Bowling Style | Right-arm medium-fast |
| Major Teams | Afghanistan, Boost Region, Sylhet Sixers, Bangla Tigers, Delhi Capitals |
| ODI Debut | Canada vs Afghanistan at Toronto (August 09, 2011) |
| T20I Debut | Afghanistan vs Netherlands at Dubai (March 14, 2012) |
| First-Class Debut | Afghanistan vs Ireland, at Dublin (July, 2012) |
| List-A Debut | Afghanistan vs Afghanistan A at Islamabad (May, 2011) |
| T-20 Debut | Afghanistan v Trinidad & Tobago at King City (August, 2011) |
UPs and DOWNs in Naib’s Cricket Career:
After winning the Divison V tournament, Afghanistan cricket took some severe actions to boost the country’s level of cricket. The coaches got changed, players in the team got replaced, and in all that chaos, Naib also got replaced.
After performing so well in his last tournament, he didn’t get selected for the next tournament. However, he made his international debut in the Inter-Continental cup in the year 2011. But, again dropped from the team because of his inconsistent performances.
Then, in 2012, he was selected in the Afghanistan squad for the 2012 Twenty 20 World Cup, held in Srilanka.
Then again, he was dropped, but in 2014 made his comeback again against Zimbabwe in the Zimbabwe tour of Afghanistan. And like always, he was dropped from the 2015 World Cup squad later.
Captain of Afghanistan Team:
After dropping too many times from the team, he decided to do something different. He started playing as a middle-order batsman and performed brilliantly in that order which leads him to make his comeback in the team in 2016.
Later, he made more changes to his batting style and started playing as an opening batsman in the team. And, with lots of batting and bowling skills, Gulbadin has become an all-rounder for the Afghanistan cricket team.
In April 2019, Gulbadin Naib became the new captain of the Afghanistan Cricket team in the World Cup 2019. He was also the squad member of the 2021 T20I World Cup.
He also represented Afghanistan in the 2022 Asian Games. Afghanistan won silver in that tournament. Later, in 2023, Gulbadin scored two back to back fifties against India in a T20I series and made his powerful comeback in the team again.
Since then, he has been a regular part of the team, consistently performing well in major tournaments.
In the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, Naib played a key role in Afghanistan’s 21-run victory against Australia. His impressive bowling spell, where he took 4 wickets for just 20 runs, made a big impact on the match.
Continuing his form, Naib also played in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.
Club Cricket:
Afghanistan Premier League (APL):
In September 2018, Naib was selected to play for the Balkh Legends in the inaugural season of the Afghanistan Premier League.
His all-round performances contributed to the team’s competitive edge in the tournament.
Bangladesh Premier League (BPL):
Following his stint in the APL, Naib joined the Sylhet Sixers for the 2018–19 season of the Bangladesh Premier League.
His participation in the BPL provided him with valuable experience in a competitive environment, enhancing his skills against a diverse range of international players.
Indian Premier League (IPL):
In 2024, Gulbadin Naib made his debut in the Indian Premier League with the Delhi Capitals (DC). Over the season, he played in two matches, scoring a total of 19 runs with a highest score of 19 against the Rajasthan Royals.
Although he bowled six deliveries, he did not take any wickets. This opportunity marked his first involvement in the IPL, allowing him to showcase his talents on one of the most prominent stages in league cricket.
Shpageeza Cricket League:
Domestically, Naib has been a consistent performer in Afghanistan’s Shpageeza Cricket League. Notably, in the 2014 edition, he was named Man of the Tournament, highlighting his significant impact and contributions to his team’s success.
Green Afghanistan One-Day Cup:
In the 2023 Green Afghanistan One-Day Cup, Naib’s all-round abilities were on full display. He amassed 150 runs at an average of 37.50 and took 11 wickets throughout the tournament.
His exceptional performance earned him the Best Player of the Event award, underscoring his vital role in the competition.
Facts about Gulbadin Naib:
- Naib is also a bodybuilder and was inspired by Arnold Schwarzenegger.
- Before becoming a cricketer, he was the sole earner in his family.
- Gulbadin Naib’s wife’s name has not been publicly disclosed yet.
- The couple has three children: three sons (Abubakar, Usman, and Aayaan) and one daughter.
- Usman and his sister are twins.
- He was part of the Silver-winning Afghanistan cricket team that played cricket in the 2010 Asian Games.
- Gulbadin had appeared in the British Documentary film Out of the Ashes, which shows the story of the rise of Afghanistan cricket.
Frequently asked questions on Google:
- What is the age of Gulbadin Naib?
34 years 0 months (in March, 2025)
- What is the height of Gulbadin Naib?
5ft 9” (1.75m or 175 cm)
- Who is the wife of Gulbadin Naib?
Not known.
- What are the names of Gulbadin Naib’s son?
Gulbadin’s son’s names are – Abubakar, Usman, and Aayaan.
Social Media Accounts:
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