The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced its ODI and T20I squads for the upcoming tour of Zimbabwe on Sunday, with young left-handed batter Zubaid Akbari receiving his first international call-up.
Darwish Rasooli, who led Afghanistan to victory in the Emerging Asia Cup, has been included in the T20I squad after an impressive domestic season. Star spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman also returns to the squad, having recovered from a phalanx sprain, and will play in both formats.
However, star opener Ibrahim Zadran remains unavailable as he continues his recovery from ankle surgery.
ACB CEO Naseeb Khan expressed optimism about the team’s chances, citing Afghanistan’s strong track record in Zimbabwe. “Afghanistan have a strong history in Zimbabwe, and we look forward to another memorable tour. The selected players are ready for the challenge,” he said.
Interim Chief Selector Ahmad Shah praised the squad’s depth, highlighting the importance of Mujeeb’s return and the inclusion of new and returning talent. “Mujeeb’s return is vital. Zubaid Akbari and Darwish Rasooli have earned their spots, and we wish them success,” Shah stated.
Afghanistan heads into the Zimbabwe tour with momentum, having secured a 2-1 ODI series victory over Bangladesh in Sharjah in their last white-ball series.
Fixtures:
- 1st T20I – Wednesday, December 11.
- 2nd T20I – Friday, December 13.
- 3rd T20I – Saturday, December 14.
- 1st ODI – Tuesday, December 17.
- 2nd ODI – Thursday, December 19.
- 3rd ODI – Saturday, December 21.
- 1st Test – December 26 to December 30.
- 2nd Test – January 2 to January 6.
T20I Squad: Rashid Khan (C), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Mohammad Ishaq, Sediqullah Atal, Hazratullah Zazai, Mohammad Nabi, Darwish Rasooli, Zubaid Akbari, Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat, Azmatullah Omarzai, Nangyal Kharoti, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad, Naveen Ul Haq.
ODI Squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Rahmat Shah, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ikram Alikhil, Abdul Malik, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, AM Ghazanfar, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Bilal Sami, Naveed Zadran, Farid Ahmad Malik.