Afghanistan Cricket Board’s (ACB) on Tuesday said the National Selection Committee has finalized the squad for the three-match ODI series against Bangladesh next month.
The series will be played from November 6 to 11 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in the United Arab Emirates.
Top-order batter Ibrahim Zadran has not been included as he is still recovering from ankle surgery.
The team will also be without the expertise of its frontline spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who is still recovering from an injury.
However, talented left-hand top-order batter Sediqullah Atal, with six T20I caps, has been called up to cover for the Zadran.
Atal has impressed with his performances in the domestic season and is currently leading the batting charts in the ongoing ACC Men’s T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2024.
Noor Ahmad, who missed the three-match ODI series against South Africa, has also been recalled for the Bangladesh ODIs.
The rest of the squad remains the same as that selected for the ODI series last month against South Africa. This lineup led Afghanistan to a 2-1 victory in Sharjah.
In a statement issued Tuesday, ACB CEO Naseeb Khan said: “The calendar year 2024 has been action-packed and quite successful for the ACB and the AfghanAtalan lineup, particularly in white-ball cricket.
“ODI cricket has been a top priority for us, as it helps us prepare the team for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy.”
He added: “Playing against Bangladesh has always been challenging and full of joy. I believe the group of players selected for this series will perform exceptionally well and bring more glory to our nation.”
ACB Chief Selector Ahmad Shah Sulimankhil said: “Ibrahim Zadran is currently undergoing rehabilitation and continues to recover from the surgery he recently had.
“Mujeeb Ur Rahman also remains unavailable due to ongoing treatment. However, Noor Ahmad is back in the squad, and we have included a promising top-order batter in Sediqullah Atal, who has impressed everyone with his consistent top performances.”
Afghanistan Squad for the three-match ODI series against Bangladesh is as follows:
Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Rahmat Shah (VC), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Ikram Alikhil (WK), Abdul Malik, Riaz Hassan, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, AM Ghazanfar, Noor Ahmad, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Bilal Sami, Naveed Zadran and Farid Ahmad Malik.
