The Afghanistan Cricket Team has revealed its 15-member formidable squad for the imminent three-game T20I series against the Ireland Team.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) took to their official social media platforms to announce some exciting news on Wednesday, March 13. They revealed that star leg-spinner and captain Rashid Khan is set to return to competitive cricket after a lengthy hiatus due to injury.
Rashid’s absence was sorely felt in recent matches, particularly during the ODI series against Ireland, where his spin skills could have made a significant impact. Now, he’s geared up to lead the Afghan side in the upcoming T20 matches against Ireland, marking his grand comeback.
His return isn’t just a boost for the Afghan team but also for the Gujarat Titans (GT) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The franchise, which secured the title in 2022, will certainly benefit from having the dynamic all-rounder back in action. Rashid’s absence in various leagues and international assignments had raised concerns, but his comeback ahead of the IPL season has sparked excitement among cricket fans worldwide.
And Rashid isn’t the only one making a return; Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who also missed out due to injury, will be back in action for the Afghanistan squad during the Ireland T20I series.
Alongside them, they’ve got Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, and Mohammad Nabi, adding a mix of seasoned expertise and youthful vigor to the lineup.
Afghanistan and Ireland recently wrapped up their white-ball showdown, featuring a thrilling three-match ODI series and an upcoming T20I series. In the ODIs, Afghanistan clinched victory with a solid 2-0 lead. Their wins in the first and third ODIs were quite convincing, with margins of 35 and 117 runs respectively. Unfortunately, the second match had to be called off.
Looking ahead, the excitement continues with the T20I series kicking off in Sharjah on March 15. Fans can look forward to more action-packed cricket as the teams clash again on March 17 and 18, both matches also taking place in Sharjah.
Afghanistan T20I squad for Ireland series:
Rashid Khan (c), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sediq Atal, Ijaz Ahmadzai, Ishaq Rahimi (wk), Mohammad Nabi, Nangyal Kharotai, Azmat Omarzai, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Wafadar Momand, Farid Malik, Naveen Ul Haq, Fazal Haq Farooqi
