Afghanistan name squads for tour of Ireland

KABUL: Afghanistan Cricket Board announced a 14-man T20I squad and a 16-man ODI squad for Afghanistan’s tour of Ireland in August 2018, with numerous new additions to both squads from their last outings.

Top-order batsman Hashmatullah Shahidi returned to the ODI squad — that last played the World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe - after a year-long absence while Aftab Alam also made it to the squad following a three-year absence from the format. Fast bowlers Sayed Shirzad and Wafadar Momand also received maiden call-ups to the ODI squad.

In the T20I squad, left-handed batsman Hazratullah Zazai — who played just one game in 2016 - was recalled, while veteran medium-fast bowler Mirwais Ashraf was included as well. Fareed Ahmad, the left-arm bowler who found success against Ireland during their tour of the UAE in 2017, was also named in the T20I squad.

Wafadar’s addition into the ODI squad comes after a promising international debut during Afghanistan’s Test debut against India in Bengaluru. Karim Janat, who played all three T20Is against Bangladesh in Dehradun, was the most notable player to have missed out on the trip.

Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman continue to lead Afghanistan’s spin attack in both formats.Afghanistan’s three-match T20I series against Ireland begins August 20, following which the two teams face off for three ODIs. Despite being the two most recent full-member nations in the ICC, there will be no Test match contested between the two sides on this tour.

ODI squad: Mohammad Shahzad, Javed Ahmadi, Ihsanullah, Rahmat Shah, Asghar Stanikzai (capt), Samiullah Shinwari, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Aftab Alam, Sayed Shirzad, Dawlat Zadran, Wafadar Momand.

T20I squad: Mohammad Shahzad, Usman Ghani, Hazratullah Zazai, Shafiqullah Shafaq, Asghar Stanikzai (capt), Samiullah Shinwari, Mirwais Ashraf, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Aftab Alam, Fareed Ahmad. —Agencies