Gurbaz ruled out of Zimbabwe ODIs with quadriceps and hip flexor injuries

Harare, Dec 17 (IANS) Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz has been ruled out of the three-match ODIs series against Zimbabwe due to a Grade 2B quadriceps along with a hip flexor injury, said the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB).

Mohammad Ishaq has been named Gurbaz's replacement for the series, scheduled to commence on Tuesday. The 19-year-old Ishaq, who played five T20Is scoring 76 runs, is yet to make his ODI debut.

ACB said confirmed spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman was rested as the team management has "decided not to rush him back" after injury.

"Additionally, after careful evaluation of Mujeeb Ur Rahman's recovery process, the team management has decided not to rush him back. He will be given a rest from the #ZIMvAFG ODI series, which begins today in Harare," ACB posted on X.

Gurbaz in the three T2OIs against Zimbabwe scored only 26 runs as Afghanistan, after losing the first T2OI, bounced back to win the next two and seal the series 2-1.

Mujeeb was sidelined since June due to right phalanx (hand) sprain and only returned to competitive cricket for the first time in five months at the Abu Dhabi T10 on November 21. Later, the off-spinner was added to the national side for the white-ball squad for the Zimbabwe tour.

Afghanistan updated squad: Mohammad Ishaq Shirzad (wk), Rahmat Shah, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Fazalhaq Farooqi, AM Ghazanfar, Nangeyalia Kharote, Fareed Ahmad Malik, Ikram Alikhil, Abdul Malik, Bilal Sami, Naveed Zadran.

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