IND vs AFG: Afghanistan Name 19-Member Squad For T20I Series Against India; Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Rashid Khan Return To Side

IND vs AFG: Afghanistan named a 19-member squad, captained by the young Ibrahim Zadran, for the upcoming three T20 Internationals against India, set to commence on January 11 in Mohali.

Premier leg-spinner Rashid Khan, the regular T20I captain, is part of the squad, but his participation in the games remains uncertain as he continues to recover from a recent back surgery.

Mujeeb Ur Rahman, absent from the previous three-match T20I series against UAE, makes a return to the squad to face India. Mujeeb will return to the T20I circuit after July 2023 with this series. He will join a formidable spin attack alongside Rashid, Qais Ahmad, and Noor Ahmad.

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Ikram Alikhil, initially a reserve against UAE, has been elevated to the main squad as the backup wicket-keeper batter. Meanwhile, Ibrahim Zadran, who led Afghanistan to a 2-1 series victory against UAE, will continue to captain the side in the series against India.

Several players, including Mohammad Ishaq, Sediqullah Atal, and Darwish Rasooli, who were part of the T20I squad against UAE, have been omitted for the India series.

Rahmat Shah retains his place in the squad, despite being uncapped in T20Is and not having played a T20 since July 2022. Gulbadin Naib and Alikhil, previously reserves for the UAE series, have now been promoted to the main squad.

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"We are delighted to be embarking on our maiden tour to India for a three-match series. India is the top-ranked side in the world and it's very pleasing to witness Afghanistan competing in a three-match T20I against them,” ACB chairman Mirwais Ashraf said in the official release.

"We believe that AfghanAtalan are no longer underdogs and have excelled well in the recent past and we look forward to a highly competitive series against India," he added.

 

Schedule:

 

11th January, 1st T20I, Mohali

14th January, 2nd T20I, Indore

17th January, 3rd T20I, Bengaluru

Afghanistan's T20I squad: Ibrahim Zadran (captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Ikram Alikhil (WK), Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmat Shah, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Karim Janat, Azmaullah Omarzai, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad, Naveen Ul Haq, Noor Ahmad, Mohammad Saleem, Qais Ahmad, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan.