Rahmanullah Gurbaz, an Afghan batsman and wicketkeeper, has joined the Pretoria Capitals for the SA20 2025. Jonathan Trott, who guided Afghanistan to their first-ever World Cup semifinal in June of this year, will be Gurbaz’s next boss.
Graham Ford resigned from the position last month, and Trott was been named the new head coach of the Capitals.
Gurbaz, who is 22 years old, is a seasoned T20 player who is presently playing in the Global T20 Canada with Bangla Tigers Mississauga. However, this will be his first time competing in the SA20.
But in 2023–24, he played for the Capitals in the ILT20 – Dubai, where he scored 146 runs in eight innings with a strike rate of 155.31 and an average of 18.25. Gurbaz, who won the title with the Kolkata Knight Riders earlier this year, also has IPL experience.
Can’t wait to see our Afghan star in action at Centurion 🙌
Welcome, Gurbaz! 💙#RoarSaamMore | @RGurbaz_21 pic.twitter.com/DeuNTlNvnd
— Pretoria Capitals (@PretoriaCapsSA) August 4, 2024
Gurbaz’s performance in Twenty20 Internationals is also promising; in the 2024 T20 World Cup, he amassed the highest run total of 281 in eight innings, with an average of 35.12 and a strike rate of 124.33.
Also Read: Afghanistan U19 team to play in UAE Youth Tri-Series
Gurbaz will be joining England batter Ollie Pope, who is another new addition, and the likes of Wayne Parnell, Will Jacks, Rilee Rossouw, Jimmy Neesham, and Anrich Nortje, who were among the Capitals’ retainers for the next season.