Afghanistan recalls Shinwari for Asia Cup

KABUL: All-rounder Samiullah Shinwari was on Tuesday recalled after a two-year absence from Afghanistan’s cricket team, as the country announced its 17-man squad for the Asia Cup kicking off in the United Arab Emirates later this month.

The 34-year-old all-rounder played the last of his 64 Twenty20 Internationals in 2020 but regained his place after good performances in Afghanistan’s domestic cricket league.

Mohammad Nabi will lead the side in Afghanistan’s third representation at the Asia Cup, which was first held in 1984.

The Asia Cup will be played in the game’s shortest format in order to let subcontinental teams get in tune for the Twenty20 World Cup to be held in Australia later this year.

Afghanistan are in Group B, alongside Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Defending champions India and Pakistan will be joined by a qualifying team in Group A.

Afghanistan will play Sri Lanka on August 27 in Dubai and then Bangladesh in Sharjah three days later.

The top two teams from each group will compete in the Super Four stage, from where the top two will play the September 11 final in Dubai.

Rashid Khan, Mujeeb ur Rahman and Noor Ahmad are the lead spinners in the squad.

Seam bowler Nijat Masood, spinner Qais Ahmad, and all-rounder Sharafuddin Ashraf are included as reserves.

Squad: Mohammad Nabi (captain), Najibullah Zadran, Afsar Zazai, Azmatullah Omarzai, Fareed Ahmad Malik, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Hazratullah Zazai, Ibrahim Zadran, Karim Janat, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Najibullah Zadran, Naveen ul Haq, Noor Ahmad, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rashid Khan, Samiullah Shinwari.