Kabul, March 5, 2026: Afghanistan Cricket Board’s National Selection Committee today finalized the Afghanistan National Team’s Squads for the white-ball series against Sri Lanka.
Top-order batter Ibrahim Zadran, who
previously served as the vice-captain in T20Is, has replaced Rashid Khan as the
captain of the Afghanistan T20I team.
Left-arm fast bowler Fazal Haq Farooqi,
all-rounder Gulbadin Naib, and wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Ishaq, who were
part of the squad for the T20 World Cup 2026, have been left out from both the squads.
Meanwhile, top-order wicket-keeper batter,
Noor Rahman, the left-arm spin bowling all-rounder, Sharafuddin Ashraf and
left-arm fast bowler Fareed Ahmad have been selected for the T20I squad.
Additionally, the Fareed Ahmad Malik makes his comeback to the ODI squad, while
fast bowler, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi receives his maiden call-up for the ODI team.
Bilal Sami, who picked up a five-wicket haul
and grabbed the Player of the Match award in his last ODI outing, retains his
place in the ODI squad and has also been added to the reserves pool in the T20I
squad.
Alongside Bilal Sami, Nangyal Kharoti and Ijaz
Ahmadzai will be part of the T20I reserves, while Bashir Ahmad, Mohammad Saleem
Safi and Qais Ahmad have been included in the reserves pool in the ODI squad.
ACB’s Chief Selector, Mr. Ahmad Shah
Sulimankhil, stated: “Rashid Khan’s tenure as the T20I captain brought immense
success to the team, particularly highlighted by the team’s remarkable journey in
the 2024 edition of the T20 World Cup, where we reached the semi-finals. In
alignment with the ACB’s long-term strategic vision and following recent
changes in our Team Management, including the appointment of a new head coach,
we have made the thoughtful decision to transition the leadership within the
T20I setup.”
“Ibrahim Zadran, who has served as Rashid
Khan’s deputy, will assume the role as Afghanistan’s regular captain in this
format. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Rashid Khan for his valuable
contributions and wish Ibrahim Zadran every success in this important new
role.”
“In addition, our long-term goal is to
adequately prepare the team for the upcoming two World Cup events. We are hopeful
that, under this new leadership, the National Team will not only flourish but
also showcase outstanding performances and build a strong and competitive bench
strength for the crucial challenges that lie ahead,” he added.
Afghanistan’s T20I Squad:
Ibrahim Zadran (C), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Noor
Rahman (WK), Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Shahidullah Kamal, Azmatullah
Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur
Rahman, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi, Fareed Ahmad Malik and Abdullah Ahmadzai.
Reserves: Nangyal Kharoti, Bilal Sami and Ijaz
Ahmadzai.
Afghanistan’s ODI Squad:
Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Rahmat Shah (VC),
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Ikram Alikhil (WK), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal,
Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangyal
Kharoti, AM Ghazanfar, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi, Fareed Ahmad Malik and Bilal Sami.
Reserves: Qais Ahmad, Mohammad Saleem Safi and
Bashir Ahmad.
Meanwhile, the ACB is closely monitoring the
ongoing situation in the region and is engaging in discussions with all
stakeholders about whether the series can proceed with the series as originally
planned, both in terms of dates and venue.
Although a final decision will be made in a
couple of days, the ACB’s initial approach, in coordination with the ECB and
venue authorities, is to proceed with the originally scheduled dates. Should
circumstances necessitate a change, the ACB will consider exploring
alternative options for both the host country and the event schedule.
Etisalat Afghanistan Telecommunication Company
holds the title sponsorship rights, while SuperCola remains the "powered
by" sponsor, and Vany continues to be ACB’s clothing partner during the
event.
-ENDS-
For further information, please contact:
Commercial
Department
Afghanistan
Cricket Board (ACB)
Email:
Marketing@Afghancricket.af
Website: www.acb.af