The Afghanistan Cricket Board on Friday announced its squad for the one-off Test against New Zealand in Greater Noida. The 16-member squad has been picked from the 20-player preparatory camp which trained in the Indian city ahead of the Test match on September 9.
"The ACB Selection Committee named a 16-member squad for the only test match against New Zealand starting this Monday, in Greater Noida, India. The squad is finalized based on players’ performance in the preparation camp," the Afghanistan Cricket Board wrote while naming the team for the Test.
Veteran white-ball player Gulbadin Naib has missed out on being part of the team. Naib, a white-ball mainstay, has never played a Test match for his national side but was in the preliminary squad for the preparatory camp. Among the other misses are fast bowlers Naveed Zadran, Yama Arab and Farid Ahmed Malik.
Three wicketkeepers are in the squad for the Test match. Regular stumper Rahmanullah Gurbaz will be accompanied by glovemen Ikram Ali Khil and Afsar Zazai for the one-off game.
Naveed is missing due to a side strain injury. The ACB board confirmed he had been advised a 3-4 week rest to get him fit for the ODI series against South Africa from September 18 onwards.
Notably, Rashid Khan was not picked in the preliminary squad and is neither part of the Test squad. According to a report in Cricbuzz, the cricketer was not picked in the team due to medical advice. "Following Rashid Khan's back operation last year, his doctors advised him to refrain from participating in long-format cricket, which is Test cricket, for one year," Afghanistan Cricket Board's Chief Executive Naseeb Khan said, as quoted in Cricbuzz.
"We are hoping that he will be available for the two Tests against Zimbabwe in December," he said.
AFG squad for one-off Test vs NZ:
Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hassan, Abdul Malik, Rahmat Shah, Baheer Shah Mahboob, Ikram Ali Khil (wk), Shahidullah Kamal, Afsar Zazai (wk), Azmatullah Omarzai, Zia Ur Rahman Akbar, Shams Ur Rahman, Qais Ahmad, Zahir Khan, Nijat Masood, Khalil Ahmad.
