Rashid Khan returns to ODI squad for Bangladesh series, Noor Ahmad dropped

After getting the much-needed rest during the one-off Test against Bangladesh, Rashid Khan returns to the Afghanistan ODI team as the star spinner has been named in the squad for the three-match ODI series against Bangladesh starting from July 5. However, young sensation Noor Ahmad, who was part of the recent ODI series against Sri Lanka, failed to find a place in the squad.

Rashid couldn’t feature in the first two ODIs of the recent three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka due to a back issue. The 24-year-old was in sensational form in the recently concluded IPL 2023 where he finished as the joint second-highest wicket-taker of the tournament with 27 scalps to his name. He also scored 130 runs at an average of 32.50 and a strike rate of 216.66.

On the other hand, Noor Ahmad also had a great season in IPL 2023 as he picked 16 wickets in 13 innings at an economy of 7.82. However, he failed to impress in the ODI series against Sri Lanka where he just picked two wickets in two matches and leaked runs at an economy of 7.29.

Meanwhile, Izharulhaq Naveed, the spinner who impressed in the last Big Bash League has also got a maiden ODI call-up. Shahidullah, Zia-ur-Rehman, Wafadar Momand, Mohammad Saleem, and Sayed Shirzad are the other new names to be added to the squad.

Apart from the squad for the ODI series, the Afghanistan Cricket Board also named 10 players who will form the reserves for their future ODIs and the ODI World Cup 2023.

Notably, Afghanistan will take on Bangladesh in three ODIs scheduled to be played on July 5, 8, and 11 at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chattogram. The two teams will then play a two-match T20I series starting on July 14 at Sylhet District Stadium, Sylhet.

Afghanistan squad for Bangladesh ODIs: Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hassan, Rahmat Shah, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhil, Rashid Khan, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Abdul Rahman, Izharulhaq Naveed Shahidullah, Zia-ur-Rehman, Wafadar Momand, Mohammad Saleem, Sayed Shirzad

Afghanistan backup reserve: Karim Janat, Zubaid Akbari, Qais Ahmad, Ihsanullah Janat, Gulbadin Naib, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Naveen-ul-Haq, Farid Malik, Darwish Rasooli, Ishaq Rahimi