Afghanistan name their 17 member squad for upcoming Asia Cup 2023
Afghanistan (Source: Twitter)
The feuds and the anticipation for the Asia Cup 2023 have taken their full toll as all the participating teams gear up to become the champions of Asia. The 17-player Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) squad for the forthcoming Asia Cup 2023 has been released. The event will be co-hosted by Pakistan and Sri Lanka and is scheduled to start on August 30. The numerous teams competing will be eager to deliver their best efforts and win the coveted crown as the tournament draws closer.
In the major competition, Hashmatullah Shahidi would be captaining the team. In addition, veteran players Rahmat Shah and Najibullah Zadran, who were injured and missed the Pakistan ODIs for the same reason, have been re-inducted into the squad. Karim Janat and Azmatullah Omarzai have also been reinstated. The spin wizard Rashid Khan will be one to look out for and will certainly hold the key for the Afghanistan team both with the bat and ball. Along with that Fazalhaq Farooqi, and Mujeeb Ur Rahman will be in charge of the bowling attack.
There will be no Naveen-Kohli battle
For the upcoming Asia Cup 2023, interest was growing in a matchup between India’s Virat Kohli and Afghanistan’s Naveen-ul-Haq, who were both well-known from their IPL match. However, this possibility has been diminished by Naveen’s unspecified absence from Afghanistan’s team. The team has made adjustments to the lineup that most recently played Pakistan in a series of ODIs. A veteran of the IPL and other franchise tournaments across the world, Naveen-ul-Haq has engaged in verbal scuffles in the past, most notably with Pakistan’s Amir and Afridi in 2020.
Naveen’s non-selection is uncertain; reports include a potential injury necessitating minor surgery and keeping him out of action for two months. Along with Shahidullah Kamal and Wafadar Momand, Azmatullah Omarzai is also ineligible due to a side strain sustained during the Pakistan series. Rashid Khan, Mohammed Nabi, Noor Ahmed, and Mujeeb ur Rahman make up Afghanistan’s spin assault, while Fazalhaq Farooqi, Gulbadin Naib, Janat, Abdul Rahman, and Mohammad Saleem make up the speed lineup. Afghanistan is expected to compete in the much-awaited competition with a solid team and a dangerous spin and pace attack, despite the absence of important players.
Afghanistan Asia Cup 2023 squad
Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Riaz Hasan, Ikram Ali Khil, Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat, Abdul Rahman, Rashid Khan, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Suliman Safi, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Noor Ahmed
