Spin sensation Rashid Khan and allrounder Mohammad Nabi will spearhead Afghanistan’s assault on the World Cup after a 15-man squad was announced on Monday.
Seaming allrounder Gulbadin Naib will captain the side whenthey head to England and Wales for the global showpiece which begins on May 30,the Afghanistan Cricket Board said.
Joining the spin attack of Khan and Nabi – who ledAfghanistan in their first World Cup four years ago – will be 18-year-old mysteryspinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman.
Fast bowler Hamid Hassan returns for the first time since2017 because of fitness issues alongside other frontline quicks Dawlat Zadranand Aftab Alam.
Naib had earlier this month been announced as captain,replacing Asghar Afghan who has still been included in the squad.
Dawlat Khan Ahmadzai, head of the ACB’s selection committee,said they had tried to select “a successful, experienced and balanced team”.
While most of the Afghan team are at a training camp inSouth Africa, the spinners are all warming up for the 50-over World Cup in theIndian Premier League.
Many Afghanistan cricketers learned the game in refugeecamps in Pakistan, their families having fled the Soviet invasion in the 1980s.Since beating the odds to compete at the 2010 World Twenty20 in England,Afghanistan have qualified for all major international tournaments and recordedtheir first Test victory against Ireland last month.
Afghanistan open their World Cup campaign against Australiain Bristol on June 1 and are regarded as dark horses, having beaten formerchampions Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup last year as well as forcing a tie withgiants India.
Afghanistan World Cup squad: Gulbadin Naib (capt), ShahzadMohammadi, Noor Ali Zadran, Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmat Shah, Asghar Afghan,Hashmatullah Shahidi, Najibullah Zadran, Samiullah Shinwari, Mohammad Nabi,Rashid Khan, Dawlat Zadran, Aftab Alam, Hamid Hasan, Mujib Ur Rahman