ACB appoint Rashid Khan as Afghanistan's T20I captain, Najibullah Zadran his deputy

With the T20 World Cup in the UAE and Oman only four months away, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has finalised their new captain in the shortest format. Rashid Khan, the leg-spinner, will lead the team in the T20 World Cup as well. Najibullah Zadran has been named the vice-captain of the team in the T20 Internationals.

The senior ACB leadership led by the board chairman Farhan Yousefzai selected Rashid for the role. Interestingly, the leggie had openly commented that he didn’t want to take up the captaincy as he feared that it will affect his performances on the field. However, he seems to have agreed to take up the role.

“I am very much clear in my mind that I am better off as a player. I am good in the role as vice-captain and help the captain wherever I am needed. It’s better for me that I stay away from this position. I am afraid it might affect my performance for the team which is a key so I am very happy as a player and whatever the decision board and selection committee make I am fully behind it and will appreciate it,” Rashid had said while speaking to ESPNCricinfo last month.

Rashid was named vice-captain of T20I team last month

Last month, the ACB appointed Hashmtaullah Shahidi as the new Test and ODI captain of the national team while naming Rahmat Shah as his deputy. At the same time, the board clarified that Rashid Khan will be the vice-captain in the shortest format and the decision on captaincy will be taken soon.

“Furthermore, it was decided that all-rounder Rashid Khan will remain the vice-captain of the T20I team while the decision to appoint the new captain will be taken soon,” the ACB had said in an official release. But Afghanistan didn’t find an able leader in the team it seems and the management seems to have convinced Rashid Khan to take up the role with Asghar Afghan no more in the discussion for leadership roles.