Afghanistan announced their 17-member squad for Asia Cup 2023, starting 30 August. The event will be played in Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
They have made a few changes to the side that faced Pakistan in the recently concluded three-game ODI series. Fareed Ahmad, Azmatullah Omarzai, Shahidullah Kamal and Wafadar Momand miss out on Asia Cup selections.
Omarzai had copped a side strain in the series against Pakistan and is out injured. On the other hand, the likes of Karim Janat, Najibullah Zadran and Sharafuddin Ashraf are making comebacks.
Janat last played an ODI, his only one, in 2017, but has plenty of experience in the T20I format. The fast bowler has 37 T20I wickets at an average of 26.81.
Najibullah returns from an injury that kept him out of the Pakistan ODIs and is expected to boost the batting unit with his presence in the middle-order. He has 2013 ODI runs at an average of 30.04. Sharafuddin is an additional all-round option in the squad.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran will be the openers for Afghanistan, while Riaz Hassan, Mohammad Nabi, skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi along with Najibullah are expected to take the middle-order roles.
Afghanistan’s spin options include Rashid Khan, Nabi, Noor Ahmad and Mujeeb ur Rahman. Left-arm pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi will lead the pace attack, with support from Gulbadin Naib, Janat, Abdul Rahman and Mohammad Saleem.
Squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hassan, Rahmat Shah, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhil, Rashid Khan, Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat, Abdul Rahman, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Suliman Safi, Fazalhaq Farooqi
The remaining squad featured in the Pakistan ODIs. It includes a number of veterans.—AFP
