Afghanistan has announced its 17-member squad for the Asia Cup 2023 starting on 30 August. This event will be played in Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
He made a few changes in the team that faced Pakistan in the recently concluded three-match ODI series. Fareed Ahmed, Azmatullah Umarzai, Shahidullah Kamal and Wafadar Momand missed out on Asia Cup selection.
Umarzai suffered a side strain in the series against Pakistan and is injured. On the other hand, players like Karim Janat, Najibullah Zadran and Sharafuddin Ashraf are making a comeback.
Janat played his last ODI in 2017, but he has a lot of experience in the T20I format. The fast bowler has 37 T20I wickets at an average of 26.81.
Najibullah is making a comeback after the injury that kept him out of the Pakistan ODIs and his presence in the middle order will be expected to give a boost to the batting unit. His 2013 ODI runs are at an average of 30.04. Sharafuddin is an additional all-round option in the team.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran will open for Afghanistan, while Najibullah is expected to play the middle order along with Riaz Hasan, Mohammad Nabi, captain Hashmatullah Shahidi.
Afghanistan’s spin options include Rashid Khan, Nabi, Noor Ahmed and Mujeeb Ur Rahman. Left-arm fast bowler Fazalhaq Farooqui will lead the pace attack, which will be supported by Gulbadin Naib, Janat, Abdul Rehman and Mohammad Saleem.
Squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (Captain), Rehmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hasan, Rahmat Shah, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhil, Rashid Khan, Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat, Abdul Rehman, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Mujeeb Ur Rehman, Noor Ahmed , Sulaiman Safi, Fazalhaq Farooqi
The rest of the team took part in the Pakistan ODIs. Many veterans are involved in this.
