Ibrahim Zadran will once again lead Afghanistan in the upcoming three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka as regular skipper Rashid Khan continues to recover from back surgery.
Mujeeb Zadran, who sustained a sprain in his right phalanx (hand) before the start of the ODI series, also misses out on selection whereas pacer Mohammad Saleem Safi has been sidelined with a hamstring strain. As a result, Wafadar Momand, who has only played one T20I for Afghanistan back in July 2023, has been called up.
Squad: Ibrahim Zadran (C), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Mohammad Ishaq Rahimi (WK), Hazratullah Zazai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Karim Janat, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad, Naveen Ul Haq, Noor Ahmad, Wafadar Momand and Qais Ahmad.
“We have a close sight on the upcoming T20 World Cup for which we want to prepare a very good mix of players consisting of both juniors and seniors,” chief selector Ahmad Shah Sulimankhil said. “This series alongside the three T20Is against Ireland in March is a good opportunity for us to test our bench strength and finalize a good squad for the mega event.”
Naseeb Khan, the CEO of ACB, said. “We have consistently aimed to provide our young players with the exposure they deserve, a commitment we have maintained successfully so far. Building a strong bench strength is a priority for us, as we want to ensure we have good backups for our key players when needed, the role Qais Ahmad is currently playing for Rashid Khan.”
