Hashmatullah to lead Afghanistan in SA ODIs; Rashid Khan returns
Afghanistan have unveiled a 17-member team for the upcoming three-match ODI series against South Africa. The squad will be led by Hashmatullah Shahidi, with Rahmat Shah serving as his deputy. Star leg-spinner Rashid Khan also returns to the setup after recovering from an injury. This series marks a significant moment in Afghanistan's cricket history as it is their first bilateral ODI series against South Africa.
Rashid Khan returns to squad after injury
The Afghan team welcomes back Rashid, who had to sit out the previous ODI series against Ireland due to an injury. The squad also includes seasoned players like Gulbadin Naib and Mohammad Nabi. However, injuries have forced Ibrahim Zadran and Mujeeb Ur Rahman out of the line-up. Their absence has created opportunities for two promising players - Abdul Malik and Darwish Rasooli.
Newcomers Abdul Malik and Darwish Rasooli join squad
Abdul Malik, a right-handed top-order batter who recently shone in the domestic List A competition, has been selected for the squad. He will be joined by Darwish Rasooli, another top-order option with seven T20Is under his belt. The inclusion of these two young talents is expected to inject fresh energy into the Afghan team as they prepare for their historic series against South Africa.
ACB CEO expresses excitement over upcoming series
Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) CEO Naseeb Khan expressed his enthusiasm about the upcoming series, stating, "Hosting South Africa for the first time in our cricketing history is a huge milestone for Afghanistan Cricket." Notably, Afghanistan and South Africa have only clashed in ICC tournaments as of now. The upcoming series comprises three matches set to be held at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
Afghanistan squad for SA ODI series
Afghanistan squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Rahmat Shah (vice-captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wicket-keeper), Ikram Alikhil (wicket-keeper), 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, and Farid Ahmad Malik.
