The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) is announcing their squads for the upcoming Zimbabwe tour. The teams feature some new players and absentees. Mujeeb Ur Rahman, an offspinner back from a long injury, is a highlight. Moreover, Zubaid Akbari, a top-order batsman, got his first T20I call-up, a big step in his career. Rahman played his last game for Afghanistan in June before sitting out with a sprain in his right hand. After healing over five months, he came back to competitive cricket in November at the Abu Dhabi T10 tournament. Now, he’s back on the white-ball teams, ready to support the team with his know-how on Zimbabwe’s pitches.
Ahmad Shah, the ACB interim chief selector, shared his excitement on Rahman’s return. He said, “Seeing our main spinner, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, fit again and ready to play is great. He’s a crucial player for us, and we hope he keeps doing well for Afghanistan.”
The first T20I call-up to Zubaid Akbari celebrates his recent astounding cricket feat. He dominated as top-order hitter during the Emerging Teams Asia Cup T20 tournament. With 137 runs in just four matches, Akbari was the second-best runner for Afghanistan A. His consistent performances have landed him a golden spot in cricket’s quickest format.
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Darwish Rasooli, another top-order swinger, makes a comeback to Afghanistan’s T20I team of Zimbabwe tour. Rasooli awed everyone when he led Afghanistan A as captain to their first ever Emerging Teams Asia Cup T20 victory earlier this year. Conversely, the team won’t have Ibrahim Zadran, a skilled hitter, on their side. Zadran is still on the mend from a recent ankle surgery and leaves a gap in the team’s top order.
Afghanistan’s Zimbabwe tour’s limited-overs portion has been slightly tweaked to attract more crowd during weekends. Instead of the original dates of December 9–12, the three T20Is will now be held on December 11, 13, and 14. The three ODIs will now take place on December 17, 19, and 21. All the matches are set to happen at Harare Sports Club. The tour is set to end with two Test matches from December 26, 2025, to January 6, 2025. However, Afghanistan’s Test squad is yet to be revealed.
Hashmatullah Shahidi will lead the Afghanistan team for the ODI series. Rashid Khan will captain for the T20Is. Young wrist-spinner Noor Ahmad is set to play only in the briefest format. Riaz Hassan, unfortunately, isn’t in the ODI team, yet seasoned pros like Mohammad Nabi and Gulbadin Naib are enlisted in both teams.
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Afghanistan ODI Squad
Captain: Hashmatullah Shahidi
Key Players: Rahmat Shah (vice-captain), Rashid Khan, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi
Afghanistan T20I Squad
Captain: Rashid Khan
Key Players: Mohammad Nabi, Zubaid Akbari, Darwish Rasooli, Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq
Afghanistan’s refreshed teams are a mix of wisdom and vigor as they plan to make a splash in Zimbabwe tour. The young talents Akbari and Rasooli, with veterans like Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, make an exhilarating lineup for the upcoming series. The team also plans to test their strength and bounce-back capability amidst possible injuries while building a solid foundation for tomorrow.
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