Ibrahim Zadran returns to Afghanistan in the squad for the Champions Trophy | Cricket news
The bankable opener returns from injury but spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman misses out as he recovers from a sprained arm.
Afghanistan have recalled re-fit player Ibrahim Zadran to their ICC Champions Trophy squad, amid ongoing calls for teams to boycott matches against them over the Taliban government’s crackdown on women’s rights since returning to power in 2021.
The Zadran all-rounder recovered from ankle surgery to make the 15-man squad named by the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) on Sunday.
Right-arm bowler Mujeeb Ur Rehman was not included in the line-up as the team management decided not to rush him back to 50-overs cricket after he sprained his arm last year.
Fellow spinner AM Ghaznafar was picked as Mujeeb’s replacement. Fast opener Sediqullah Atal has also secured a place in the squad.
“Zadran, who was absent from the field due to an ankle injury, has returned to the team,” reads the ACB press release.
“However, Mujeeb Ur Rahman misses out on the pick, as AM Ghazanfar, a similar mystery spinner, has made the cut for the mega event.”
Rahman was left out as “his doctor has advised him to focus on T20 for some time to ensure full recovery”, ACB acting chief selector Ahmad Suliman Khil added.
Afghanistan have produced impressive results at ICC world events in recent years – finishing sixth in the 2023 50-over World Cup and reaching the semi-finals of the 2024 T20 World Cup.
This will be Afghanistan’s first time participating in the Eight Nations Champions Trophy, which is being held between February 19 and March 9 in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.
The country has brought in former Pakistan captain Younis Khan to mentor the side.
“Afghanistan has performed exceptionally well in the past two ICC events,” the Afghanistan Cricket Board chairman said in a statement.
“Their impressive performances in these two competitions coupled with last year’s ODI series victories will undoubtedly boost their morale and help them to have an even better campaign this time around,” said ACB President Mirwais Ashraf.
The Hashmatullah Shahidi-led side could face some off-field distractions in Pakistan, with Group B rivals England and South Africa urged to boycott their matches.
Both the England and Wales Cricket Board and the South African Cricket Club have ruled out a boycott against Afghanistan in multi-team competitions organized by the governing International Cricket Council (ICC).
They would prefer to follow a unified and collective approach by all ICC members, the committees said.
Afghanistan begin their campaign against South Africa in Karachi on February 21.
composition: Hashmatullah Shahidi (Captain), Rahmat Shah, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Gatekeeper), Ikram Alikhil (Gatekeeper), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, AM Ghazanfar, Noor Ahmad, Fazal Haq Farooqi , Naveed Zadran, Farid Ahmad Malik
