The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), on Sunday (January 7), announced the Afghanistan squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against India. The series will be historic as it will mark the first-stance of a multi-match bilateral series between the two nations.
Spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman’s inclusion is the highlight of the Afghanistan squad. The ACB recently revoked Mujeeb’s No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the Big Bash League after he refused to sign the central contract for 2024. As a result, Mujeeb’s BBL campaign ended prematurely and he had to return home.
Apart from him, fast-bowlers Fazalhaq Farooqi and Naveen-ul-Haq had also refused to sign the contracts. Later, Farooqi and Naveen held talks with the ACB and decided to ply their trade for Afghanistan in the recently-concluded three-match T20I series against UAE.
Afghanistan squad for India series:
Star leg-spinner Rashid Khan, who is the regular captain of the T20I side, has been named in the Afghanistan squad as well. However, his participation in the IND vs AFG series is in doubt as he has still not fully recovered from the back surgery he underwent recently. As a result, Ibrahim Zadran has been named the captain for the series.
ACB have also named Ikram Alikhil in the Afghanistan squad as a backup wicketkeeper. He was reserves for the three-match series against the UAE.
“We are delighted to be embarking on our maiden tour to India for a three-match series. India is the top-ranked side in the world and it’s very pleasing to witness AfghanAtalan competing in a three-match T20I against them. We believe that AfghanAtalan are no longer underdogs & have excelled well in the recent past and we look forward to a highly competitive series against India,” said ACB chairman Mirwais Ashraf.
The much-anticipated IND vs AFG series is scheduled to get underway on January 11 in Mohali. The second and third games are scheduled in Indore and Bengaluru on January 14 and 17 respectively.
Afghanistan squad:
Ibrahim Zadran (C), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Ikram Alikhil (WK), Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmat Shah, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Karim Janat, Azmaullah Omarzai, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad, Naveen Ul Haq, Noor Ahmad, Mohammad Saleem, Qais Ahmad, Gulbadin Naib and Rashid Khan.
