Afghanistan has announced two key additions to their squad ahead of the One Day International (ODI) series against Bangladesh, set to take place in Sharjah from November 6 to 11. Opening batter Sediqullah Atal and left-arm wrist-spinner Noor Ahmad have joined the 19-man squad that previously triumphed over South Africa in September.
The team will, however, be without Ibrahim Zadran and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who are still recuperating from injuries. Zadran is undergoing rehabilitation after ankle surgery, while Rahman is sidelined due to a sprain in his right phalanx.
Atal, who has six T20I caps under his belt, has showcased impressive form during the Emerging Teams Asia Cup T20, scoring 52, 95 not out, and 83. Noor Ahmad returns after an outstanding performance in the Caribbean Premier League, where he was named Player of the Series for taking 22 wickets with St Lucia Kings.
Ahmad Shah Sulimankhil, the chief selector of Afghanistan Cricket Board, stated, “Ibrahim Zadran is in rehabilitation and recovering from his recent surgery, while Mujeeb Ur Rahman is still receiving treatment. However, we are excited to have Noor Ahmad back in the squad, and we have also included Sediqullah Atal, a promising top-order batter who has been consistently performing well.”
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The ODI series against Bangladesh comprises three matches, which will aid Afghanistan’s preparation for the upcoming Champions Trophy scheduled for February 2025. In their last series against South Africa, Afghanistan made history by securing their first-ever series win against a top-five ICC-ranked team.
Afghanistan Squad for the Bangladesh ODIs
Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain)
Rahmat Shah (vice-captain)
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wicketkeeper)
Ikram Alikhil (wicketkeeper)
Abdul Malik
Riaz Hassan
Sediqullah Atal
Darwish Rasooli
Azmatullah Omarzai
Mohammad Nabi
Gulbadin Naib
Rashid Khan
Nangyal Kharoti
AM Ghazanfar
Noor Ahmad
Fazalhaq Farooqi
Bilal Sami
Naveed Zadran
Farid Ahmad Malik
Sediqullah Atal,
Noor Ahmad
Afghanistan vs. Bangladesh Series Schedule
- Nov 6:1st ODI, Sharjah
Nov 9: 2nd ODI, Sharjah
Nov 11: 3rd ODI, Sharjah
