Afghanistan named their 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and the USA in June this year. Rashid Khan will lead an experienced 15-man Afghanistan squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup, the ACB announced on Tuesday. Of the 15 players, eight are currently involved in the IPL.
Afghanistan have made a few additions to their squad compared to the 2022 edition, with Karim Janat, Mohammad Ishaq, and Noor Ahmad all named in the side.
However, Hashmatullah Shahidi, who led Afghanistan in last year’s ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, wasn’t part of the side, his last T20I appearance coming in 2022.
Changes in Afghanistan’s T20 WC 2024 Squad
The squad has only four batters – wicketkeeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Najibullah Zadran, and back-up keeper Mohammad Ishaq, but the presence of six all-rounders makes up for it. Alongside Rashid, the other all-rounders in the Afghanistan squad are Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat and Nangeyalia Kharote.
The pair of Mujeeb-ur-Rahman and Noor Ahmad complete Afghanistan’s spin quintet with Rashid, Nabi and Kharote. Naveen-ul-Haq is the lone right-arm fast bowler apart from the all-rounders, with left-arm pacers Fazalhaq Farooqi and Fareed Ahmad closing out the 15.
This will be the first time that Noor, Janat and, Ishaq – who featured in the last two men’s U-19 World Cups – will play at the T20 World Cup. Hashmatullah Shahidi, who captained Afghanistan in the 2023 ODI World Cup, was not selected.
There was no place for left-hand opener Hazratullah Zazai in the main squad. He is one of three travelling reserves to the USA and the Caribbean, alongside Sediqullah Atal and Mohammad Saleem.
Afghanistan are in Group C in the 20-team tournament, with two other Test teams, New Zealand and co-hosts West Indies, in their group. Uganda, their first opponents on June 3, and Papua New Guinea are the other two teams in Group C.
Also Read: Pakistan Appoints Gary Kirsten As Head Coach for T20 WC
Afghanistan Squad
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Ishaq, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat, Rashid Khan (c), Nangyal Kharoti, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad Malik.
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