The Afghanistan Cricket Board’s National Selection Committee has announced the squad for the upcoming three-match One Day International (ODI) series against Ireland, set to take place from March 7-12 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in the United Arab Emirates.
Afghanistan will be missing key players, as frontline spinners Rashid Khan, who is recovering from back surgery, and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, nursing a right phalanx sprain, are sidelined due to their injuries.
The team will see the addition of three newcomers: left-arm spin bowling all-rounder Nangyal Kharoti, right-arm off-spinner Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar, who played in the recent ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2024, and right-arm fast bowler Bilal Sami. These players have been called up to the national team for the series against Ireland.
Ahmad Shah Sulimankhil, the ACB Chief Selector, stated, “With Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman continuing their recovery, they will not be part of the selection. However, we’ve brought in top-performing youngsters like Nangyal Kharoti and Bilal Sami. Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar, having shown remarkable skill during the U19 World Cup, will fill in for Mujeeb Ur Rahman in the ODI series against Ireland.”
The Afghanistan squad for the series includes Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Rahmat Shah (vice-captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wicketkeeper), Ikram Alikhil (wicketkeeper), Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hassan, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Nangyal Kharoti, Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar, Noor Ahmad, Bilal Sami, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Naveed Zadran, and Farid Ahmad Malik.
Zia Ur Rahman Akbar, Shahidullah Kamal, and Qais Ahmad have been named as reserve players.
The series is sponsored by Etisalat Afghanistan Telecommunication Company, with Super Cola Beverages Manufacturing Company as the presenting sponsor and Bank-e-Millie Afghan (BMA) as the associate sponsor for Afghanistan’s all-format series against Ireland.
Series Schedule:
March 7, 2024: 1st ODI at Sharjah
March 9, 2024: 2nd ODI at Sharjah
March 12, 2024: 3rd ODI at Sharjah
