The absence of top legspinner Rashid Khan from the initial 20-man selection for the upcoming one-off Test against New Zealand has dealt a serious blow to the Afghanistan cricket team. In Greater Noida, the match is set to start on September 9.
This series will be especially significant because it will be the first-ever Test match between the two countries in India. Khan suffered a back injury last month while taking part in Afghanistan’s domestic T20 competition, the Shpageeza Cricket League (SCL). According to the Afghan cricket administration, the injury happened in his third straight game for the Speen Ghar Tigers. Prior to the accident, he had been playing exceptionally well, taking six wickets at an economy rate of 5.09 and an outstanding average of 9.33.
Only in March did Rashid Khan make his way back into the game after a four-month hiatus resulting from back surgery during the 2023 ODI World Cup.
The 24-year-old spinner’s injury continues a worrying trend. Furthermore, only one week prior to this most recent back problem, he had sustained a hamstring strain when competing for the Trent Rockets in the Hundred.
Afghanistan is preparing for the New Zealand series at their second home.
Afghanistan has started getting ready for the Test match at their new home field in Greater Noida, despite the absence of its leg spinner. The 20-man preliminary squad, captained by Hashmatullah Shahidi, is made up of both seasoned players and up-and-coming athletes. Promising young people like Abdul Malik and Riaz Hassan are featured with well-known figures like Rahmat Shah, Gulbadin Naib, and Ibrahim Zadran.
Also Read: Afghanistan releases the preliminary team for their one-time Test match against New Zealand
After a week-long training camp in Greater Noida, a final 15-member squad will be chosen. Performance and fitness evaluations will determine the starting lineup for this historic Test match against the Black Caps.
Afghanistan preliminary squad for one-off Test:
Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hassan, Abdul Malik, Rahmat Shah, Baheer Shah Mahboob, Ikram Alikhel (wk), Shahidullah Kamal, Gulbadin Naib, Afsar Zazai (wk), Azmatullah Omarzai, Ziaurrahman Akbar, Shamsurrahman, Qais Ahmad, Zahir Khan, Nijat Masoud, Farid Ahmad Malik, Naveed Zadran, Khalil Ahmad and Yama Arab.
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