Rashid Khan is back on the Afghanistan ODI team after getting much-needed rest during the one-off Test against Bangladesh. The star spinner has been named to the squad for the three-match ODI series against Bangladesh that starts on July 5. But young star Noor Ahmad, who played in the recent ODI series against Sri Lanka, did not make the team.
Rashid Khan was hurt in his back and couldn’t play in the first two ODIs of the recent three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka.
The 24-year-old was in great shape during the IPL 2023, which just ended. He took 27 wickets, which put him in a tie for second place among wicket-takers. He also got 130 runs, with a 32.50 average and a 216.66 strike rate.
On the other hand, Noor Ahmad also had a great IPL 2023 season. In 13 games, he took 16 wickets at an economy of 7.82. But he didn’t do well in the ODI series against Sri Lanka. He only took two catches in two games and gave up runs at a rate of 7.29 per over.
Izharulhaq Naveed, a spinner who did well in the last Big Bash League, has also been called up for his first ODI. Other new names on the team are Shahidullah, Zia-ur-Rehman, Wafadar Momand, Mohammad Saleem, and Sayed Shirzad.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board also chose 10 players to be their backups for future ODIs and the ODI World Cup in 2023. These players will not play in the ODI series.
Notably, Afghanistan and Bangladesh will play three ODIs at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on July 5, 8, and 11. Then, starting on July 14 at Sylhet District Stadium in Sylhet, the two teams will play a two-match T20I series.
Bangladesh team for Afghanistan ODIs: Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hassan, Rahmat Shah, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhil, Rashid Khan, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Abdul Rahman, Izharulhaq Naveed Shahidullah, Zia-ur-Rehman, Wafadar Momand, Mohammad Saleem, Sayed Shirzad
Afghanistan backup reserve: Karim Janat, Zubaid Akbari, Qais Ahmad, Ihsanullah Janat, Gulbadin Naib, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Naveen-ul-Haq, Farid Malik, Darwish Rasooli, Ishaq Rahimi