Ibrahim Zadran returns as Afghanistan announce Champions Trophy squad
Hashmatullah Shahidi will lead the side, with three additional travelling reserves also named.
Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced their 15-member squad for the ICC Men's Champions Trophy, where they will be making their tournament debut.
Hashmatullah Shahidi will lead the side, with three additional travelling reserves also named.
The team enters the tournament on the back of an impressive 2023 campaign, which included notable performances at the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup and a semifinal finish in the Men's T20 World Cup.
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A significant inclusion in the squad is Ibrahim Zadran, who returns from an ankle injury sustained last year. Zadran is set to partner with the explosive Rahmanullah Gurbaz at the top of the batting lineup. Rahmat Shah and captain Shahidi form a dependable top-four, providing a solid foundation for Afghanistan's batting unit.
The squad also includes experienced campaigners Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan, with Fazalhaq Farooqi leading the pace attack.
Mujeeb-Ur-Rahman, a key figure in Afghanistan's 2023 Cricket World Cup squad, has not been included. Explaining the decision, interim chief selector Ahmad Suliman Khil stated:
"Mujeeb was not available for selection as his doctor has advised him to focus on T20s for now to ensure a full recovery before returning to ODIs. This was also why he missed the recent ODI series against Zimbabwe."
Squad:
Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Ikram Alikhil, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, AM Ghazanfar, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Farid Malik, Naveed Zadran.
Reserves:
Darwish Rasooli, Nangyal Kharoti, Bilal Sami.
Afghanistan's group stage fixtures:
- 21 February: Afghanistan vs South Africa, Karachi
- 26 February: Afghanistan vs England, Lahore
- 28 February: Afghanistan vs Australia, Lahore
