Gulbadin Naib, known for his big-hitting prowess, has earned a recall to Afghanistan‘s ODI squad for the upcoming three-match series against Sri Lanka, beginning on February 9 in Pallekele. However, star spinner Rashid Khan, who is recovering from a back surgery, has not regained fitness in time for the series. Qais Ahmad, who has played just one ODI for Afghanistan, will fill in for Rashid Khan in Sri Lanka.
Noor Ahmad, currently playing for Durban’s Super Giants in the SA20, will rejoin the national team, necessitating his absence from the final stages of the league. Najibullah Zadran, a member of Afghanistan’s World Cup squad, has been omitted from the Sri Lanka ODIs, while Abdul Rahman has been included as a reserve. Fast bowler Mohammad Saleem has been sidelined due to a hamstring strain, as per an ACB media release.
Seamer Naveed Zadran, who impressed on his Test debut against Sri Lanka, has earned a spot in the ODI side. He is uncapped in ODI cricket but has shown promise in List A matches, picking up eight wickets in six games. Allrounder Fareed Ahmad, along with Naib, has also made it to the 15-member squad after serving as reserve players during the 2023 ODI World Cup.
“We have consistently striven to secure more bilateral cricket matches and create a busy schedule for our national teams,” said ACB CEO Naseeb Khan. “This marks our third visit to Sri Lanka in the past 16 months, which is a promising sign moving forward. The selectors have selected a strong line-up, and we eagerly anticipate an exciting series ahead.”
The Afghanistan squad for the ODI series against Sri Lanka includes Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), Rahmat Shah (vice-capt), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ikram Alikhil (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hassan, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Qais Ahmad, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveed Zadran, and Farid Ahmad. Reserves for the series are Sharafuddin Ashraf, Shahidullah, Abdul Rahman, and Bilal Sami.
The three ODIs will be played in Pallekele before the teams move to Dambulla for the three-match T20I series. This series marks Afghanistan’s first ODI assignment since the World Cup.
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