Mumbai Indians signed Mujeeb ur Rahman as a replacement player© BCCI/Sportzpics

Teenage Afghanistan off-spinner AM Ghazanfar has been ruled out of both the ICC Champions Trophy and the IPL due to a lower back fracture that will keep him on the sidelines for at least four months, the country’s cricket board announced on Wednesday. Left-arm spinner Nangeyalia Kharote, originally named as a reserve, has replaced the 18-year-old in the main squad for Champions Trophy, which will be held in Pakistan and the UAE from February 19. The 20-year-old Kharote is a left-arm spinner and has played seven ODIs and six T20 Internationals since making his debut last year.

Ghazanfar sustained the injury during Afghanistan’s tour of Zimbabwe late last year, sidelining him for “at least four months”.

“AM Ghazanfar has been ruled out of the ICC Champions Trophy due to a fracture in the L4 vertebra (located in the lower back), specifically in the left pars interarticularis,” the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) posted on ‘X’.

“He sustained the injury during Afghanistan’s recent tour of Zimbabwe and will be sidelined for a minimum of four months, remaining under treatment during this period,” it added.

The IPL is scheduled to take place from March 21 to May 25 and Ghazanfar was to make his maiden appearance at the event after being bought by Mumbai Indians.

The ACB also informed that off-spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman will continue to miss ODI action “until he has fully recovered,” despite playing for Paarl Royals in the SA20 through January and early February.

Mujeeb, who was not included in the provisional squad for Champions Trophy, last played an ODI during the 2023 World Cup.

Afghanistan will begin their Champions Trophy campaign against South Africa on February 21 in Karachi, followed by matches against England and Australia.

Afghanistan squad for Champions Trophy: Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), Ibrahim Zadran, Ikram Alikhil (wk), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah (vice-capt), Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Fareeh Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Nangeyalia Kharote, Naveed Zadran, Noor Ahmad.

Spinner AM Ghazanfar has been added to Afghanistan’s squad for its upcoming Test series against Zimbabwe, starting in Bulawayo on Thursday. The development comes after reports emerged of Rashid Khan being unavailable for the Boxing Day game due to personal reasons. AM Ghazanfar has been added to Afghanistan’s squad for the two-match test series against Zimbabwe, with the first one being scheduled to begin tomorrow in Bulawayo,” said the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) through its X post on Wednesday.

Ghazanfar’s maiden call-up to the Test team comes after he picked up impressive figures of 5/33 in the third ODI at Harare Sports Club, which helped Afghanistan secure an eight-wicket win and take a 2-0 series win. Interestingly, Ghazanfar is yet to play a first-class game in his cricketing career.

Ghazanfar was sold to Mumbai Indians for Rs 4.8 crore during the IPL 2025 auctions in November. 

2024 has been a meteoric year for Ghazanfar, who began by playing for Afghanistan in the U19 Men’s World Cup in South Africa, where he bagged eight wickets in four matches at an economy rate of 3.35 and was followed by his senior ODI debut against Ireland in March.

He then guided Afghanistan A to winning their maiden ACC Men’s T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup title in 2024, winning the Player of the Match award in the final against Sri Lanka A in Oman.

The series opening game against Afghanistan, to be played at the Queens Sports Club, will be the first time Zimbabwe will be hosting its first Boxing Day Test at home in 28 years. It will be followed by Zimbabwe hosting its first New Year’s Test, scheduled for January 2-6, 2025.

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

ZIM v AFG 3rd ODI LIVE Scorecard© AFP