The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has unveiled its 15-member squad for the upcoming One Day International ODI series against Sri Lanka. The series is scheduled to commence on February 9 in Pallekele, Sri Lanka. Star Afghan spinner Rashid Khan underwent back surgery late last year and has not fully recovered to play competitive cricket.
Rashid Khan is still recovering from back surgery and has not been drafted into the squad. Qais Ahmad has been added to the squad to give leg-spin in Rashid Khan’s absence. Meanwhile, Naveed Zadran, who recently made his Test debut against Sri Lanka, has been included in the ODI squad to face Sri Lanka.
ACB CEO Mr. Naseeb Khan is happy about the consistent involvement of the Afghan team playing in bilateral cricket and is looking forward to arranging more games in the future.
“We have consistently striven to secure more bilateral cricket matches and create a busy schedule for our national teams. This marks our third visit to Sri Lanka in the past 16 months, which is a promising sign moving forward. The selectors have selected a strong lineup and we eagerly anticipate an exciting series ahead,” Naseeb Khan said.
Najibullah Zadran has been dropped from Sri Lanka’s ODI squad following his dismissal performance in the ODI World Cup. Fast bowler Mohammad Saleem has been sidelined owing to a hamstring problem. Meanwhile, Noor Ahmad, who presently plays for Durban’s Super Giants in the SA20, will return to the national squad after missing the league’s final stages.
Meanwhile, Hashmatullah Shahidi will continue to lead the team. Gulbadin Naib was impressed with his big-hitting ability in the recent T20I series against India, which resulted in a call-up to the ODI squad. Fareed Ahmad has also been named to the 15-man team, having previously served as a reserve player in the 2023 ODI World Cup.
All three ODIs will take place at Pallekele before the sides go to Dambulla for the three-match T20I series. Afghanistan will play its first ODI since the World Cup.
Afghanistan Squad for the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka:
Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Rahmat Shah (VC), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Ikram Alikhil (WK), Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hassan, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Qais Ahmad, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Naveed Zadran and Farid Ahmad Malik.