Kabul/Hyderabad: Star spinner Rashid Khan will lead the Afghanistan squad at the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, which will be played in the US and the Caribbean.
According to the International Cricket Council (ICC) website, Afghanistan have made a few additions to their squad compared to the 2022 edition, with Karim Janat, Mohammad Ishaq, and Noor Ahmad all named in the side.
However, Hashmatullah Shahidi, who led Afghanistan in last year's ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023, wasn't part of the side and his last T20I appearance coming in 2022.
Young player Nangyal Kharoti, who made his international debut for Afghanistan in March this year against Ireland, has also been included in the squad . The 20-year-old impressed in that series with five wickets in three matches with an economy of just 5.90.
Another young Afghan player to seal a spot is wicketkeeper batter Mohammad Ishaq, who was part of Afghanistan’s squad in the 2020 and 2022 ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cups.
Rashid will lead the spin department with support from Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Nangyal Kharoti and veteran Mohammad Nabi. Naveen-ul-Haq, Fareed Ahmad and Fazalhaq Farooq have retained their spots and make up Afghanistan’s fast-bowling line-up.
Afghanistan Squad: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Ishaq, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat, Rashid Khan (c), Nangyal Kharoti, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad Malik
Reserves: Sediq Atal, Hazratullah Zazai, Saleem Saf
