Zia-ur-Rehman Gets Maiden Call-Up As Afghanistan Announce Squad For Tour Of Zimbabwe
Afghanistan on Tuesday announced two squads for their white-ball tour of Zimbabwe, which begins on June 4.
The two teams will first play three ODIs, which form a part of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Super League. Afghanistan are currently fifth on the CWCSL table with 70 points, while Zimbabwe are 12th with just 35 points.
The ODI series will be followed by three T20Is, beginning 11 June. All matches will be played at the Harare Sports Club.
The 24-year-old Zia-ur-Rahman Akbar, who was the leading wicket-taker in the Green Afghanistan One-Day Cup, has got his maiden call-up. The left-arm spinner picked up 14 wickets in the tournament in just five matches in his team Hindukush Strikers' winning campaign.
All-rounder Gulbadin Naib, who was a part of the Afghanistan squad that played the ODI series against Bangladesh in February this year, has been left out. Left-arm spinner Noor Ahmad and medium-pacer Nijat Masoud have been named as reserves.
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Off-spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who is named in the ODI squad and is missing from the T20I list. Joining him is 21-year-old leg-spinner Qais Ahmad. They have been replaced by Noor Ahmad and right-handed batter Ihsanullah Janat. Left-arm wrist-spinner Zahir Khan and the left-arm fast bowler Sayed Ahmad Shirzad are the reserves.
- ODI squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmat Shah (vc), Azmatullah Omarzai, Farid Malik, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Ibrahim Zadran, Ikram Alikhail (wk), Mohammad Nabi, Mujib ur Rahman, Najibullah Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Rashid Khan, Riaz Hassan, Shahidullah Kamal, Yamin Ahmadzai, Zia ur Rahman Akbar
- Reserves: Noor Ahmad, Nijat Masoud
- T20I squad: Mohammad Nabi (c), Najibullah Zadran (vc), Afsar Zazai (wk), Azmatullah Omarzai, Darwish Rasooli, Farid Ahmad Malik, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Hazratullah Zazai, Ihsanullah Janat, Karim Janat, Nijat Masoud, Noor Ahmad, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Rashid Khan, Sharafuddin Ashraf and Usman Ghani
- Reserves: Zahir Khan, Sayed Ahmad Shirzad