Veteran all-rounder Mohammad Nabi has been omitted from Afghanistan’s T20I squad, while middle-order batter Darwish Rasooli has been dropped from both the ODI and T20I setups. The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced these roster changes ahead of a packed international schedule that includes a one-off Test against Bangladesh, an ODI tri-series, and a three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe. “Similarly, the two-match Test series against Zimbabwe presents another valuable opportunity for our players, particularly our emerging talents, to gain further experience in Test cricket. Afghanistan Cricket Board remains committed to providing our national team with regular and high-quality international cricket. We highly value our relationships with the Bangladesh Cricket Board and Zimbabwe Cricket and appreciate their cooperation in making these important assignments possible,” he added.
New faces have been integrated into the T20I side, with Mohammad Akram earning a call-up following his debut at the 2026 Asian Games. Fast-bowling all-rounder Abdullah Tarakhil secured his spot after a standout performance in the 11th Shpageeza Cricket League this July. Additionally, the selectors have recalled Ijaz Ahmadzai and Shahidullah Kamal, while Fareed Ahmad Malik, previously a reserve during the series against India, has been promoted to the primary 15-member T20I squad.
Rahmat Shah, recently named the full-time captain, will lead the side across the Test and ODI formats. His first major test as the full-time leader in the longer format will be the one-off match against Bangladesh, scheduled from October 9 to 13 at the Sheikh Zayed International Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi. He enters this series following a successful 4-0 ODI series victory over Ireland in August. Both players have been advised against participating in the longer format at this stage, according to medical assessments.
The Test roster sees the return of several key figures, including fast-bowling all-rounder Ismat Alam, along with Shahidullah Kamal and Yamin Ahmadzai. These selections follow strong showings in the ongoing 2026 Ahmad Shah Abdali First Class Tournament, where Shahidullah has amassed 538 runs at an average of 76.85 and Yamin has taken 42 wickets at a 12.73 average. Spinners Zia Ur Rahman Akbar and Khalil Gurbaz also rejoin the squad, though Rashid Khan and Ibrahim Zadran remain unavailable for Test selection due to medical advice regarding their workloads. Who was part of Afghanistan’s Test squad for the Ireland Test in 2024, has also been recalled, legspinner Khalil Gurbaz.
CEO Naseeb Khan emphasized the strategic importance of these fixtures. Hosting Bangladesh for a Test match marks a significant milestone, while the ODI tri-series from October 17 to 23—split between Abu Dhabi and Sharjah—is vital for building momentum toward the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. Khan highlighted that the board is dedicated to fostering young talent and maintaining strong bilateral ties with cricket authorities in Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.
Following the ODI tri-series, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe will contest a three-match T20I series on October 27, October 29, and November 1, followed by a two-match Test series running from November 5 to 9 and November 13 to 17. All five of these subsequent matches are slated for the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
The announced Test squad includes Rahmat Shah, Ikram Alikhail, Afsar Zazai, Sediqullah Atal, Abdul Malik, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Rahmanullah Zadran, Shahidullah Kamal, Ismat Alam, Qais Ahmad, Zia Ur Rahman Akbar, Khalil Gurbaz, Mohammad Saleem Safi, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi, and Yamin Ahmadzai. The reserves for the Tests consist of Baheer Shah Mahboob, Naseer Khan Maroofkhil, Bilal Sami, and Bashir Ahmad.
For the ODI series, the squad features Rahmat Shah, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ikram Alikhil, Sediqullah Atal, Ibrahim Zadran, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangyalai Khan, AM Ghazanfar, Bilal Sami, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi, Fazal Haq Farooqi, and Yamin Ahmadzai, with Qais Ahmad as the travelling reserve.
The T20I group comprises Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Noor Rahman, Sediqullah Atal, Mohammad Akram, Shahidullah Kamal, Ijaz Ahmadzai, Azmatullah Omarzai, Abdullah Tarakhil, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Abdullah Ahmadzai, and Farid Ahmad Malik. Reserves for the shortest format are Faridoon Dawoodzai, Qais Ahmad, and Nangyalai Khan.
