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DHAKA. – Offspinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who has not played for Afghanistan since June because of injury, has made a return to their white-ball squads for the tour of Zimbabwe this month.
Mujeeb was sidelined by a right phalanx (hand) sprain, and only returned to competitive cricket for the first time in five months at the Abu Dhabi T10 on November 21.
Top-order batter Zubaid Akbari earned his maiden call-up to Afghanistan’s T20I squad for the Zimbabwe tour, while another top-order batter Darwish Rasooli also returned to the shortest format.
Afghanistan will continue to miss the services of top-order batter Ibrahim Zadran, who is still recovering from the ankle surgery he had recently undergone in England.
Akbari is coming off an impressive Emerging Teams Asia Cup T20 tournament where he was the fourth-highest run-getter and the second-highest for Afghanistan A with 137 runs in four matches at a strike rate of 131.73. It was under Rasooli – who has played seven T20Is – that Afghanistan A clinched their maiden Emerging Teams Asia Cup T20 in Oman earlier this year.
Rasooli’s last T20I was against UAE in Sharjah in January this year.
Noor Ahmad has been named only in the T20I squad and Riaz Hassan has also been left out of the ODI squad.
ACB interim chief selector Ahmad Shah said:
“It’s a great feeling to see our frontline spinner, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, recover from his injury and be available for selection. He is an essential member of our squad, and we hope he continues to shine brightly for Afghanistan.
“Additionally, Zubaid Akbari and Darwish Rasooli have been consistent performers, not only in domestic cricket but also in the recently concluded ACC Emerging Teams Cup, where Afghanistan claimed the title. We have included both players in the T20I squad and wish them the very best for the upcoming series.”
The white-ball leg of the Zimbabwe tour consists of three T20Is and as many ODIs, following which the teams will play two Tests between December 26 and January 6, 2025. Afghanistan are yet to name their Test squad.
The limited overs leg of the tour has seen a slight shift in dates and according to ACB, this is “to help the spectators attend the key games during weekends”.
As per the revised schedule, the three T20Is, which were originally slotted to be played on December 9, 11 and 12, have now been pushed to December 11, 13 and 14.
These adjustments have also affected the ODIs, with the first game now scheduled for December 17 and the second and third ODIs on December 19 and 21, respectively.
All these matches will be played at the Harare Sports Club.
Afghanistan squad for Zimbabwe ODIs
Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), Rahmat Shah (vice-capt), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ikram Alikhil (wk), Abdul Malik, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, AM Ghazanfar, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Bilal Sami, Naveed Zadran and Farid Ahmad Malik. – Cricinfo
Online Reporter