Afghanistan announces squads for upcoming white-ball series against Bangladesh

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has announced its squads for the upcoming white-ball series against Bangladesh, set to take place in the United Arab Emirates from October 2 to 14. The squad selections contain some meaningful inclusions and omissions as the Afghanistan team heads into preparations for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup next year.

Senior players Fazalhaq Farooqi, Gulbadin Naib, and Karim Janat were omitted from both squads, which the selectors responded to by adding new players to strengthen the team moving forward. Bashir Ahmad, a tall left-arm pacer who has yet to make his international debut, was added to both squads as a like-for-like replacement for Farooqi. Bashir has played 14 T20 matches, taking 12 wickets at an economy of 9.06. Wafiullah Tarakhil earns a T20I call-up following a strong Shpageeza Cricket League season, scoring 298 runs in nine innings at an average of 37.25 and a strike rate of 155.20.

Pacer Abdullah Ahmadzai returns to the T20I squad after being in the reserves for the Asia Cup. Fast bowler Mohammad Saleem Safi has been selected for the ODI squad, with Bilal Sami and Faridoon Dawoodzai as reserve pace options. Spinner AM Ghazanfar has been included in the ODI side but is a reserve for the T20Is, while the addition of Nangeyalia Kharote alongside Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, and Ghazanfar further strengthens Afghanistan’s spin-heavy ODI lineup.

Leadership and CEO Statement

Hashmatullah Shahidi will continue as captain of the ODI team, with Rahmat Shah as his deputy. In the T20I squad, Rashid Khan retains the captaincy, with Ibrahim Zadran as vice-captain. ACB CEO Naseeb Khan emphasized the importance of the upcoming series following a long gap in international cricket for Afghanistan:

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"After a long six-month break from international cricket following the ICC Champions Trophy, we are now entering a packed season with many T20I games scheduled. This provides the team with an incredible opportunity to prepare for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup next year. The performances in the Asia Cup 2025 were not as expected, but ups and downs are part of the game. As always, we remain hopeful that AfghanAtalan will bounce back strongly and make our nation proud in the upcoming events," Khan said.

Afghanistan squads for upcoming white-ball series

T20I Squad: Rashid Khan (capt), Ibrahim Zadran (vice-capt), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Mohammad Ishaq (wk), Sediqullah Atal, Wafiullah Tarakhil, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Bashir Ahmad, Fareed Ahmad Malik, Abdullah Ahmadzai. Reserves: AM Ghazanfar, Rahmat Shah.

ODI Squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), Rahmat Shah (vice-capt), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ikram Alikhil (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangeyalia Kharote, AM Ghazanfar, Abdullah Ahmadzai, Bashir Ahmad, Mohammad Saleem Safi. Reserves: Bilal Sami, Faridoon Dawoodzai.