KABUL, Afghanistan — The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) on Sunday announced its 15-man squad for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy, scheduled to take place from February 19 to March 9, 2025, in Pakistan and the UAE.
Top-order batter Ibrahim Zadran, who has recovered from an ankle injury, returns to the team, while mystery spinner AM Ghazanfar has been included, replacing Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who is focusing on T20 cricket to recover fully from a lingering injury.
The squad also features Sediqullah Atal, who earned the Player of the Series title in a recent ODI series against Zimbabwe, scoring 156 runs, including a century and a half-century.
ACB Chairman Mirwais Ashraf highlighted the team’s strong form and expressed confidence in their ability to perform. “AfghanAtalan have performed exceptionally well in the past two ICC events, the CWC23 and the ICC World T20 2024. Their success will undoubtedly boost their morale and help them deliver an even better campaign this time,” Ashraf said.
He also announced the appointment of Younis Khan, the former Pakistan captain, as a mentor for the team. “Given the success of having mentors in the last two events, we look forward to benefiting from Younis Khan’s extensive international experience,” he added.
Interim Chief Selector Ahmad Suliman Khil explained Mujeeb Ur Rahman’s absence from the squad. “Mujeeb was not available for selection as his doctor advised him to focus on T20s to ensure a full recovery before returning to ODIs. This was also the reason he missed the recent series against Zimbabwe,” Khil said.
He emphasized the team’s readiness for the tournament, noting that conditions in Pakistan are similar to those in Afghanistan and the UAE. “We will conduct a preparation camp in multiple phases before the tournament. Expectations are high, and I hope the team will deliver strong performances, just as they did in the last two World Cups,” he said.
Afghanistan’s squad for ICC Champions Trophy 2025
Hashmatullah Shahidi (Captain), Rahmat Shah (Vice-Captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Ikram Alikhil (WK), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, AM Ghazanfar, Noor Ahmad, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Naveed Zadran, Farid Ahmad Malik.
Reserves: Darwish Rasooli, Nangyal Kharoti, Bilal Sami
Fixture highlights
Afghanistan is set to face strong competition in the group stage:
Feb. 21: Afghanistan vs. South Africa in Karachi
Feb. 26: Afghanistan vs. England in Lahore
Feb. 28: Afghanistan vs. Australia in Lahore
The semifinals are scheduled for March 4 and 5 in Dubai and Lahore, with the final to be played on March 9 in either Lahore or Dubai.
