A preliminary team of 22 players has been formally revealed by the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) for the forthcoming Asia Cup, which will take place in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from September 9 to September 28. Rashid Khan, a talented leg-spinner, will lead the team.
The ACB is still confidence in Rashid’s skills and thinks he will recover during the competition, despite recent worries over his form. After a dismal Indian Premier League (IPL) season, Rashid decided not to play Major League Cricket (MLC) for MI New York. He took just nine wickets while playing for the Gujarat Titans (GT), averaging 57.11 and with an economy rate of 9.34.
“The best player in Afghanistan is Rashid Khan. For the team, he has always done it. According to Cricbuzz, Mir Mubariz, a member of the ACB selection committee, stated: “Whether he is in form or not, that is a part of the game, but he knows very well how to come back stronger and perform in major events for the team and the country.”
A two-week training camp will be held by the board prior to the tri-nation T20I series between Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates, and Pakistan, the chairman of the ACB also revealed. After the series, the team will concentrate on the Asia Cup, where Afghanistan is paired with Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Hong Kong in Group B.
“We have announced a preliminary squad for the preparation camp ahead of the tri-nation series and Asia Cup where the newly-included guys will be checked by both the coaching staff and the captain during the training and preparation camp,” Mubariz stated.
Unless unanticipated injuries force them to alter their plans, he continued, the final World Cup squad is anticipated to be chosen from the 22-member preparatory camp.
“Yes, we will most likely bring these 22 players to the forthcoming Asia Cup, but we will handle any injuries as they arise with time.
Indeed, we have a fantastic group of pacers. Salim Safi is also making a comeback after an injury, and we have added Abdullah Ahmadzai and Bashir Ahmad. Accordingly, they can all bowl about 140,” Mubariz stated.
Afghanistan possesses the best spin unit in the world, as everyone knows, thanks to players like Rashid Khan, Mujeeb, Mohammad Nabi, and Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar. In addition, we have acquired Sharafuddin Ashraf and Nangyal Kharoti, especially the latter who won Player of the Tournament in the Shpageeza 2025 and has been playing well in local cricket in recent years,” he said.
With three formidable candidates vying for the two spots—Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sediqullah Atal, and Ibrahim Zadran—Mubariz admitted that the captain and coach will make the final selection for the opening duo. Afghanistan will play Hong Kong in Abu Dhabi on September 9 to begin their Asia Cup campaign. They will then play Bangladesh on September 16 and Sri Lanka on September 18.
“We have a lot of fresh players, like Wafiullah Tarakhil, a top-order batsman who played for our A squad and excelled in domestic competitions. Two pacers, Bashir Ahmad, who has played for our A squad, and Abdullah Ahmadzai, who is participating in the training camp for the first time. They are Afghanistan’s future. “The coach, captain, and selection committee will collectively decide who to send to the Asia Cup following the tri-nation series and the camps,” Mubariz stated.
“The opening pair will be decided by the coach and captain as per the condition and plan for the day and event, but yes, all of the mentioned players will be part of our top order,” he stated.
Afghanistan’s first 22-man team:
Mohammad Ishaq, Rashid Khan (C), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Sediqullah Atal, Wafiullah Tarakhil, Ibrahim Zadran, Darwish Rasooli, 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.
India
