CHITTAGONG: Afghanistan’s national cricket team has announced the return of experienced batsmen Mohammad Shahzad and Hazratullah Zazai to their 16-man squad for the upcoming two-match Twenty20 International series against Bangladesh later this month.
The uncapped fast bowler Wafadar Momand has also earned a call-up to the squad, set to compete in Bangladesh’s northern city of Sylhet on July 14 and 16.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Shahzad, who boasts an impressive record in T20 cricket, last played for Afghanistan in November 2021 during a T20I match against New Zealand in the United Arab Emirates. Meanwhile, Zazai missed out on the recent 2-1 T20I series against Pakistan, also held in the UAE.
The squad selection, revealed on Sunday, notably omitted Afsar Zazai, Usman Ghani, Sharafuddin Ashraf, and former national captain Gulbadin Naib, who were part of the Afghanistan team during the Pakistan series in March at Sharjah.
Afghanistan Team Selection and Players Performance
Asadullah Khan, the chief national selector, stated that the squad composition was finalized after consulting with T20I captain Rashid Khan and Head Coach Jonathon Trott. He emphasized the team’s focus on strengthening their T20 performance after achieving positive results in recent months. The upcoming series against Bangladesh presents an excellent opportunity for Afghanistan to showcase their abilities and further solidify their position in T20 cricket.
Presently, the Afghanistan cricket team is in Chittagong to engage in a three-match One Day International (ODI) series against Bangladesh. The ODIs will be held in the port city on July 5, 8, and 11. Notably, Bangladesh secured a historic victory in the only Test match of the series, defeating Afghanistan by a record 546 runs in June.
Afghanistan’s T20 squad for the Bangladesh series comprises: Rashid Khan (captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Mohammad Shahzad, Hazratullah Zazai, Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Karim Janat, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Noor Ahmad, and Wafadar Momand.
