The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) revealed the team lineup for the upcoming one-off Test match against Sri Lanka on Monday.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board’s National Selection Committee has finalized the squad for the upcoming one-off Test match against Sri Lanka, scheduled from February 2-6 at the Sinhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground in Colombo.
Rashid Khan, the veteran leg-spinner, remains sidelined due to ongoing recovery from a back injury. Despite a minor surgery post the ODI World Cup, the 25-year-old hasn’t fully regained fitness, causing him to miss significant tournaments such as the Big Bash League and a T20I series against India.
Qais Ahmad, who, despite having only one Test match under his belt, has been given the nod in the place of injured Rashid Khan. Additionally, young spinner Zia-ur-Rehman secures a spot in the 16-member squad. Notably, Noor Ali Zadran makes a comeback to the senior squad after his last appearance in the Asian Games final against India, where he contributed with a half-century against Sri Lanka in the Quarter-final. Despite this, Zadran has been inactive in cricket since then.
Mohammad Ishaq, an uncapped wicketkeeper-batsman, and Naveed Zadran, a right-arm medium-pace bowler, are notable inclusions in the squad. Naveed’s stellar performance in domestic cricket, with 35 wickets in just seven first-class matches, including three five-wicket hauls, highlights his prowess.
Conversely, despite being part of Afghanistan’s Test squad against Bangladesh in 2023, all-rounders Karim Janat and Amir Hamza have been sidelined for the Sri Lanka series. Batsmen Ibrahim Zadran, Abdul Malik, and Rahmat Shah retain their spots but face a considerable challenge to redeem themselves following a humbling 546-run defeat against the Bangladesh Team last summer.
Afghanistan’s limited exposure to Test cricket, having played only seven matches since 2018, underscores their lack of experience in the longest format. The upcoming series against Sri Lanka poses a tough test, especially considering Sri Lanka’s determination to bounce back after a series loss to Pakistan in 2023.
ACB chairman Mirwais Ashraf spoke about Afghanistan’s upcoming first-ever Test assignment against Sri Lanka. He said, “It’s quite pleasing to be playing our first test against Sri Lanka, who have a rich history of playing test-match cricket. The year 2024 is packed with test cricket for us, as we will be playing several test matches during the year. Same as our white-ball lineups, we are committed to strengthening our red-ball cricket and building a formidable test side as well.”
Afghanistan Squad for the one-off test against Sri Lanka:
Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmat Shah (vc), Ikram Alikhail (wk), Mohammad Ishaq (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Noor Ali Zadran, Abdul Malik, Baheer Shah, Nasir Jamal, Qais Ahmad, Zahir Khan, Zia Ur Rehman Akbar, Yamin Ahmadzai, Nijat Masoud, Mohammad Saleem Safi, and Naveed Zadran.
