Rashid Khan returns to Afghanistan Test squad for Zimbabwe series

New Delhi, Dec 16 (IANS) Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan has made a return to the Test squad for the upcoming two-match series in Zimbabwe, said the country’s cricket body.

Afghanistan are currently playing the white-ball leg of the Zimbabwe tour before going on to play two Tests from December 26 to January 6 next year in Bulawayo.

Rashid had last played Tests back in March 2021, coincidentally against Zimbabwe in Abu Dhabi, ending in a 1-1 draw. Rashid then missed Afghanistan’s next Test assignments against Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Ireland due to a combination of rest and injury.

Afghanistan have also given a call-up to left-arm top-order batter Sediqullah Atal, who has already played ODI and T20I matches for the side. Ismat Alam, a young medium-fast bowling all-rounder, has been recalled to the Test squad for the first time after scoring 723 runs and taking 12 wickets in the Ahmad Shah Abdali First Class Competitions.

Left-arm spinner Zahir Shehzad and left-arm fast-bowler Bashir Ahmad Afghan have also been added to the team after putting in some impressive performances in the domestic first-class games.

The Afghanistan Test squad comprises seven uncapped players, which also includes Azmatullah Omarzai, Fareed Ahmad Malik, and Riaz Hassan.

"Rashid Khan returns to the test squad, which is a promising sign for our red ball game going forward. The rest of the team underwent good preparations recently in Nangarhar province, which featured 19 players and all the support staff to work with the players and ensure full preparation for the series.

"We have thoroughly monitored the proceedings and have picked the squad which includes several new faces, including Ismat Alam, Bashir Ahmad, and Zahir Shehzad, who have performed well during the recent Ahmad Shah Abdali FC Tournament," said Ahmad Shah Sulimankhil, ACB’s interim chief selector.

Nasir Jamal, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi, and Ibrahim Abdulrahimzai are the three players who are part of the reserve players pool for the series. Afghanistan has previously won three Test matches, including one against Zimbabwe in 2021.

Afghanistan squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Rahmat Shah (VC), Ikram Alikhail (WK), Afsar Zazai (WK), Riaz Hassan, Sediqullah Atal, Abdul Malik, Baheer Shah Mahboob, Ismat Alam, Azmatullah Omarzai, Zahir Khan, Zia Ur Rehman Akbar, Zahir Shehzad, Rashid Khan, Yamin Ahmadzai, Bashir Ahmad Afghan, Naveed Zadran, and Fareed Ahmad Malik.

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