KABUL, Afghanistan — The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) on Monday announced its national team squad for the two-match Test series against Zimbabwe, set to take place from December 26, 2024, to January 6, 2025, at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.
Star spinner Rashid Khan makes a highly anticipated return to the Test format, his first appearance since playing against Zimbabwe in Abu Dhabi in March 2021.
The squad also includes left-handed top-order batter Sediqullah Atal, who earns his maiden call-up to the Test team after gaining experience in ODIs and T20Is.
Young medium-fast bowling all-rounder Ismat Alam has been recalled to the Test squad following standout performances in the Ahmad Shah Abdali First Class Tournament, where he scored 723 runs and took 12 wickets.
Similarly, slow left-arm spinner Zahir Shehzad joins the squad after impressive domestic performances, while left-arm pacer Bashir Ahmad Afghan has been included after taking 30 wickets at an average of 17.36 in the same tournament.
In total, the squad includes seven uncapped players, such as all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai, fast bowler Fareed Ahmad Malik, and batter Riaz Hassan, who were part of Afghanistan’s Test squad for the recently washed-out match against New Zealand but are yet to make their Test debuts.
Preparations and selection insights
Ahmad Shah Sulimankhil, the ACB’s interim chief selector, emphasized the importance of Rashid Khan’s return and the contributions of new faces.
“Rashid Khan’s inclusion is a promising sign for our red-ball game. The squad has undergone thorough preparations, including a camp in Nangarhar province with 19 players and full support staff to ensure readiness for the series,” he said.
Sulimankhil highlighted the performances of newcomers like Ismat Alam, Bashir Ahmad, and Zahir Shehzad in the domestic first-class circuit as key factors in their selection.
Afghanistan Test Squad:
Hashmatullah Shahidi (Captain), Rahmat Shah (Vice-Captain), Ikram Alikhail (Wicketkeeper), Afsar Zazai (Wicketkeeper), Riaz Hassan, Sediqullah Atal, Abdul Malik, Baheer Shah Mahboob, Ismat Alam, Azmatullah Omarzai, Zahir Khan, Zia Ur Rehman Akbar, Zahir Shehzad, Rashid Khan, Yamin Ahmadzai, Bashir Ahmad Afghan, Naveed Zadran, Fareed Ahmad Malik.
Reserves: Nasir Jamal, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi, Ibrahim Abdulrahimzai.
This series will mark Afghanistan’s 11th Test match overall and their third against Zimbabwe. Afghanistan previously secured Test victories against Ireland (2019), Bangladesh (2019), and Zimbabwe (2021).
Series Schedule
1st Test: December 26-30, 2024, Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo
2nd Test: January 2-6, 2025, Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo
The ACB also confirmed that Etisalat Afghanistan remains the team’s sponsor for the tour.
