The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) on Monday, May 15, 2023, named the 15-member Afghanistan squad for the upcoming three-match One-day international series to be played against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka.
Experienced left-hander Hashmatullah Shahidi will once again lead Afghanistan during the tour, with selectors naming a strong 15-player squad and four reserves on Monday for the three-match series that commences in Hambantota on June 2.
Young all-rounder Abdul Rahman wins a recall on the back of some strong performances in Afghanistan’s domestic One Day Cup competition, while Shahidullah Kamal, Yamin Ahmadzai, Zia Ur Rahman Akbar and Gulbadin Naib are named among the reserves.
Afghanistan will be optimistic of a successful performance against Sri Lanka and in the 50-over World Cup set for the end of the year. Afghanistan has already qualified for this year’s World Cup thanks to their seventh-place position in the recently concluded ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League.
Build-Up For The ICC Cricket World Cup Has Already Begun: Afghanistan Cricket Board Chair Mirwais Ashraf
Rashid Khan (sixth), Mujib ur Rahman (eighth), and Mohammad Nabi (tenth) are the three Afghan bowlers in the top 10 on the ICC ODI Bowler Rankings. They join rising quick Fazalhaq Farooqi and youthful spinner Noor Ahmad in an intimidating attack.
Afghanistan Cricket Board chair Mirwais Ashraf believes his squad is shaping well ahead of this year’s World Cup and expects a strong performance during the Sri Lanka tour.
“It’s good to have a couple of young faces for the series; the build-up for the ICC Cricket World Cup has already begun, and we are looking for every possible opportunity to build a good combination of the team and prepare them well for the event,” Ashraf said to ICC.
Afghanistan Squad:
Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmat Shah (vc), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hassan, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhail (wk), Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mujib ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Abdul Rahman, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Farid Ahmad Malik.
Reserves: Gulbadin Naib, Shahidullah Kamal, Yamin Ahmadzai, Zia ur Rahman Akbar
Series schedule:
First ODI: June 2, Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium, Hambantota
Second ODI: June 4, Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium, Hambantota
Third ODI: June 7, Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium, Hambantota