Afghanistan Cricket Board unveils 15-player squad for T20 World Cup, Rashid Khan to lead squad

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has announced its 15-player squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup, with star spinner Rashid Khan leading the team. The squad sees the exclusion of Hashmatullah Shahidi, who captained the team in the previous edition, with young talent Nangyal Kharoti making a notable inclusion.

Kharoti, a left-arm spinner, made his international debut earlier this year against Ireland and impressed with five wickets in three matches. Another exciting addition is 19-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Ishaq, who has represented Afghanistan in the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cups.

Rashid Khan will not only lead the team but also spearhead the spin department alongside Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Nangyal Kharoti, and Mohammad Nabi. The fast-bowling contingent includes Naveen-ul-Haq, Fareed Ahmad, and Fazalhaq Farooq.

The T20 World Cup is set to kick off on June 1 in the USA and the West Indies, with Afghanistan placed in Group C alongside New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Uganda, and the West Indies. Their campaign will begin against Uganda on June 4 at the Providence Stadium in Guyana.

The squad is as follows: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Ishaq, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat, Rashid Khan (c), Nangyal Kharoti, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad Malik. Reserves: Sediq Atal, Hazratullah Zazai, Saleem Safi. Stay tuned for more updates on Afghanistan’s journey in the T20 World Cup.