Star Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan is set to play his first Test match since March 2021 as the Afghanistan Cricket Board on Monday announced the squad for the two-match Test series against Zimbabwe at Bulawayo. Rashid hasn’t played red-ball cricket for his country since he took on Zimbabwe in Abu Dhabi in March 2021, but the 26-year-old is set to return against the same opposition after he was included in an 18-player squad for the series that commences on December 26.
While a veteran of more than 200 white-ball matches for Afghanistan, Rashid has played just five Tests throughout his distinguished career for a total of 34 wickets at an average of 22.35.
Rashid’s return highlights an Afghanistan squad that features seven uncapped players, with top-order batter Sediqullah Atal, fast bowling all-rounder Ismat Alam and left-arm spinner Zahir Shehzad among those aiming to win a first Test cap in Africa.
Afghanistan interim chief selector Ahmad Shah Sulimankhil was thrilled to welcome Rashid back to the Test fold and believes the squad are well-placed to perform with aplomb against Zimbabwe.
“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,” Ahmad Shah said as quoted by the ICC.
“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,” the selector added.
Series schedule:
First Test: December 26-30, Bulawayo.
Second Test: January 2-6, Bulawayo.
Afghanistan Test 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, Fareed Ahmad Malik.
Reserves: Nasir Jamal, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi, Ibrahim Abdulrahimzai.
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