Afghanistan has announced its 15-man squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against South Africa, scheduled to be played in Sharjah from September 18 to 22, 2024. The squad sees the return of star leg-spinner Rashid Khan, who missed the previous ODI series against Ireland and the one-off Test against New Zealand due to a back injury.
The squad retains most of Afghanistan‘s senior players, including captain Hashmatullah Shahidi, all-rounder Mohammad Nabi, and experienced players like Gulbadin Naib. However, notable absences include spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman and opening batsman Ibrahim Zadran, both ruled out due to injuries.
Key Absentees and New Inclusions
Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who is recovering from a right phalanx sprain, was not considered for selection, while Ibrahim Zadran will miss the series due to an ankle sprain sustained during the recent Test against New Zealand. In their place, Afghanistan has included two promising young players, Abdul Malik and Darwish Rasooli, who have impressed with their recent performances.
Another young talent, Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar, has been added to the squad to cover for Mujeeb’s absence. Ghazanfar has been praised for his skills and is expected to bring variety to Afghanistan’s spin attack.
Squad Overview
Afghanistan’s chief selector Ahmad Shah Sulimankhil emphasized the importance of giving opportunities to young players while also maintaining the core strength of the team.
“Mujeeb Ur Rahman continues to recover from his injury and is unavailable for selection. Ibrahim Zadran will also miss the South Africa ODIs after twisting his ankle on the edge of the New Zealand Test. However, we have included some of the top-performing youngsters Abdul Malik and Darwish Rasooli. Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar is also a talented cricketer and has demonstrated excellent skills recently and will cover for Mujeeb Ur Rahman in the series,” Sulimankhil stated.
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The Afghanistan squad for the series includes:
- Hashmatullah Shahidi (C)
- Rahmat Shah (VC)
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK)
- Ikram Alikhil (WK)
- Abdul Malik
- Riaz Hassan
- Darwish Rasooli
- Azmatullah Omarzai
- Mohammad Nabi
- Gulbadin Naib
- Rashid Khan
- Nangyal Kharoti
- Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar
- Fazal Haq Farooqi
- Bilal Sami
- Naveed Zadran
- Farid Ahmad Malik
ODI Series Details
The three-match ODI series between Afghanistan and South Africa will take place at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. The matches are scheduled for September 18, 20, and 22, 2024. This series is a crucial part of both teams’ preparations ahead of the 2024 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
Following the ODIs, South Africa will remain in the UAE to play a two-match T20I series and a three-ODI series against Ireland. The T20Is will be held on September 27 and 29, while the ODI series against Ireland is scheduled from October 2 to 7, 2024, at the Sheikh Zayed International Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
Afghanistan will look to build on their strong recent form and challenge South Africa in what promises to be a competitive series. All eyes will be on Rashid Khan’s return as he aims to make an impact after his injury layoff.
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