Afghanistan’s cricket team is gearing up for an action-packed white-ball tour of Zimbabwe with exciting new additions and the return of a key player to the squad as they announce their squads for the upcoming series.
On December 1, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced the T20I and ODI squads for the upcoming tour of Zimbabwe.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman grabbed all the attention when the star spinner returned to the white-ball teams after recovering from a difficult right phalanx sprain injury.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman returns from injury to prepare for Afghanistan tour of Zimbabwe
His return will bolster Afghanistan’s bowling arsenal as they take on Zimbabwe in a three-match T20I and three-match ODI series next week. Adding to the excitement, young top-order sensation Zubaid Akbari has earned his maiden call-up to Afghanistan’s T20I squad.
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Akbari’s consistency in domestic cricket and his role in the Afghans’ title-winning campaign in the emerging Asia Cup assured him of a T20I debut.
Joining him is the talented Darwish Rasooli, who returned to the T20I set-up for the tour of Zimbabwe due to his fine domestic form and led the Afghans to the Emerging Asia Cup title.
However, Afghanistan’s cricket team will be without the services of Ibrahim Zadra, who continues to recover from an ankle sprain. He is likely to be replaced by Rasooli in the XI.
We wish Zubaid Akbari and Darvish Rasooli all the best for future series: Ahmed Shah
ACB Acting Chief Selector Ahmed Shah said, “It is great to see our frontline spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman recover from his injury and be available for selection. He is an important member of our team and we hope that he will continue to shine brightly for Afghanistan.”
The chief selector further added, “Furthermore, Zubaid Akbari and Darwish Rasooli have been consistent performers not only in domestic cricket but also in the recently concluded ACC Emerging Teams Cup where Afghanistan won the title. We have included both players in the T20I squad and wish them all the best for the upcoming series.”
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Note that the three T20Is will be played on December 11, 13 and 14 before the ODI action begins in Harare on December 17, 19 and 21. Afghanistan and Zimbabwe will also play a two-match Test series in Bulawayo from December 26. The final test will be held in Bulawayo from January 2.
Afghanistan white ball squad for Zimbabwe series:
T20I squad: Rashid Khan (C), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Muhammad Ishaq (WK), Sadiqullah Atal, Hazratullah Zazai, Muhammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Nangyal Kharoti, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Darwish Rasooli, Zubaid Akbari, Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat, Farid Ahmed and Naveen Ul Haq.
ODI Squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Rahmat Shah (VC), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Ikram Alikhil (WK), Abdul Malik, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, AM Ghazanfar, Bilal Sami, Naveed Zadran and Farid Ahmed Malik.
