Rashid Khan made his Test comeback as the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has announced the 18-member squad to face Zimbabwe in the upcoming two-match Test series to be held in Bulawayo.
The Test series between these two sides will take place following the three-match ODI series, which begins on December 17. The first match of the two-match Test series will begin on December 26, with the final Test beginning on January 2.
Apart from Rashid, excellent opening batsman Sediqullah Atal has received his first Test call-up. Atal just got his T20I and ODI debuts with strong performances in the Emerging Asia Cup. He is scheduled to make his Test debut in the forthcoming series.
Rashid Khan returns to the Test squad
Rashid Khan’s comeback is the squad’s biggest news. Rashid, who has been brilliant in his career and is perhaps the face of Afghanistan cricket right now, has excelled in white-ball formats for his country.
However, Afghanistan’s paucity of Test cricket has prevented Rashid from playing enough Tests in his career to date. After three years, he returns to Test cricket. Rashid has played five Tests and taken 34 wickets at an average of 22.35, including four five-wicket hauls.
Afghanistan Test squad for Zimbabwe series
Afghanistan’s roster comprises seven uncapped players, including notable white-ball names such as cricket allrounder Azmatullah Omarzai and left-arm fast Fareed Malik. This squad also includes opener Riaz Hassan, who has played seven ODIs so far.
All three of these players were recently named to Afghanistan’s side for the sole Test against New Zealand, which was supposed to take place in Greater Noida but was canceled due to heavy rain. As a result, all of them have yet to make their Test debut.
Zahir Shehzad, Ismat Alam, and Bashir Ahmad Afghan are among the new additions to this squad. Zahir is a left-arm spinner who has been quite impressive in domestic first-class cricket.
Ismat Alam is a skilled fast-bowling allrounder who scored 723 runs and took 12 wickets in the Ahmad Shah Abdali first-class championship. Meanwhile, Bashir Ahmad Afghan is a left-arm fast bowler who has 30 wickets at an average of 17.36.
Afghanistan squad for Test series in Zimbabwe:
Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Rahmat Shah (VC), Ikram Alikhail (wk), Afsar Zazai (wk), Riaz Hassan, Sediqullah Atal, Abdul Malik, Baheer Shah Mahboob, Ismat Alam, Azmatullah Omarzai, Zahir Khan, Zia Ur Rehman Akbar, Zahir Shehzad, Rashid Khan, Yamin Ahmadzai, Bashir Ahmad Afghan, Naveed Zadran, Fareed Ahmad Malik
Rashid Khan returns to the Test Squad to face Zimbabwe! 🚨
Dive into the link below as ACB name #AfghanAtalan‘s squad for the two-match Test Series against Zimbabwe, starting December 26 in Bulawayo. 🤩
🔗: https://t.co/PFeQIvoH94#AfghanAtalan | #ZIMvAFG |… pic.twitter.com/F2QVSGfnB7
— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) December 16, 2024
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