Rashid Khan returns to Afghanistan's Test squad for Zimbabwe tour
26-year-old cricket sensation Rashid Khan has been picked for Afghanistan's upcoming two-Test series against Zimbabwe. This will be Khan's return to the Test format after a long break due to a long-standing groin injury. The last time Khan played a Test match was also against Zimbabwe in 2021. The team will be led by Hashmatullah Shahidi and has seven uncapped players among its 18 members.
New faces in Afghanistan's Test squad
The squad for the Zimbabwe tour includes a number of new faces who have made a name for themselves in domestic cricket. These include left-arm seamer Bashir Ahmad and all-rounder Ismat Alam. Azmatullah Omarzai, Fareed Ahmad Malik, Riaz Hassan, and Sediqullah Atal have also been picked. They were earlier picked for a one-off Test against New Zealand, which was called off due to rain.
Interim chief selector comments on Khan's return
Meanwhile, the interim chief selector of the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), Ahmad Shah Sulimankhil, sounded optimistic about Khan's return to the Test squad. He said, "Rashid Khan returns to the Test squad, which is a promising sign for our red-ball game going forward." Sulimankhil added that the team had undergone extensive preparations in Nangarhar province and that a few new faces were included on the basis of their performance in recent first-class tournaments.
Hamid Hassan to lead as head coach
Hamid Hassan will be the head coach for the series against Zimbabwe, replacing Jonathan Trott who is unavailable due to personal reasons. Both Test matches will be played in Bulawayo, with the first match starting on Boxing Day. This coaching change and Khan's return are major developments in Afghanistan's cricket landscape ahead of their tour to Zimbabwe.
Here is Afghanistan's squad
Afghanistan Squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmat Shah (vc), Ikram Alikhail (wk), Afsar Zazai (wk), 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, and Fareed Ahmad Malik.
