The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has officially announced its 22-member preliminary squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, scheduled to take place in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from September 9 to 28. Afghanistan’s star leg-spinner, Rashid Khan, will lead the squad as captain. Despite concerns about Rashid’s recent form, the ACB remains confident in his ability to deliver strong performances during the tournament.
Rashid Khan, who opted out of Major League Cricket (MLC) after a disappointing Indian Premier League (IPL) season, is regarded as Afghanistan’s star player. In the 2023 IPL, Rashid took only nine wickets in 10 matches with an economy rate of 9.34, but the ACB believes he will come back stronger for the Asia Cup. “Rashid Khan has always performed for the team. Being in form or out of form is part of the game, but he knows how to bounce back stronger in major events,” said Mir Mubariz, a member of the ACB’s selection committee.
Preparation Camp Ahead of Tri-Nation Series
The ACB has also planned a two-week preparation camp before the tri-nation T20I series featuring Afghanistan, UAE, and Pakistan. The training camp will help the coaching staff and captain assess the newly included players. The final squad for the World Cup is expected to be selected from this 22-member preliminary squad, with the possibility of changes if injuries occur.
“We will likely go with these 22 players for the Asia Cup, but injuries could lead to adjustments. Our pace attack is looking strong with players like Abdullah Ahmadzai, Bashir Ahmad, and Salim Safi, who is returning from injury,” said Mubariz. He also highlighted Afghanistan’s strong spin unit, which includes Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, and Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar, along with new additions like Nangyal Kharoti and Sharafuddin Ashraf.
Squad Details and Key Players
The team will kick off their Asia Cup campaign on September 9 against Hong Kong in Abu Dhabi. They will then face Bangladesh on September 16 and Sri Lanka on September 18. Mubariz emphasized that the final decision on the opening pair will be made by the captain and coach, with three contenders — Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sediqullah Atal, and Ibrahim Zadran — competing for the two spots.
Afghanistan’s 22-member preliminary squad for the Asia Cup is as follows:
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK)
- Sediqullah Atal
- Wafiullah Tarakhil
- Ibrahim Zadran
- Darwish Rasooli
- Mohammad Ishaq
- Rashid Khan (C)
- Mohammad Nabi
- Nangyal Kharoti
- Sharafuddin Ashraf
- Karim Janat
- Azmatullah Omarzai
- Gulbadin Naib
- Mujeeb Zadran
- AM Ghazanfar
- Noor Ahmad
- Fazal Haq Farooqi
- Naveen ul Haq
- Farid Malik
- Saleem Safi
- Abdullah Ahmadzai
- Bashir Ahmad
With this preliminary squad and the preparation camp ahead, Afghanistan looks set to make a strong statement in the Asia Cup 2025.
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