The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has announced a 22-member preliminary squad for the upcoming tri-nation T20 series against Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as well as for the Asia Cup that follows. The team will be led by regular captain and star leg-spinner Rashid Khan.
The tri-nation series, featuring Afghanistan, Pakistan, and hosts UAE, is set to begin on August 29 in the United Arab Emirates. All matches will be played in Sharjah, with the final scheduled for September 7. The main round of the Asia Cup will commence on September 9, featuring India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, UAE, Hong Kong, and Oman.
Ahead of the series, the Afghanistan team will undergo a two-week preparation camp in the UAE, which will include training sessions and a few unofficial practice matches.
However, notable absentees from the announced squad include Mujeeb Ur Rahman, one of Afghanistan’s most experienced spinners, and Najibullah Zadran, the third-highest run-scorer for Afghanistan in T20Is. Still, most of the regular faces have been included in the preliminary squad.
Afghanistan Preliminary Squad:
Rashid Khan (Captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Wicketkeeper), Azmatullah Omarzai, Sediqullah Atal, Gulbadin Naib, Wafiyullah Tarakhil, Mujib Zadran, Ibrahim Zadran, AM Ghazanfar, Darwish Rasooli, Noor Ahmad, Lakanwal, Mohammad Ishaq, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fareed Malik, Mohammad Nabi, Nangyal Kharoti, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Karim Janat, Saleem Safi, Abdullah Ahmadzai, and Bashir Ahmad.
