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Afghanistan’s ace spinner, Rashid Khan, is set to make a remarkable comeback to Test cricket after nearly four years. The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has unveiled an 18-player squad for the two-match Test series against Zimbabwe, scheduled to take place from December 26, 2024, to January 6, 2025, in Bulawayo.
Rashid’s last Test appearance was in March 2021 against the same opposition in Abu Dhabi. Now 26 years old, the star bowler is ready to make his mark in Afghanistan’s 11th Test match overall and their third against Zimbabwe.
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New Faces and Fresh Talent in the Squad
The squad introduces several fresh faces alongside seasoned players.
Debutants and Rising Stars:
- Sediqullah Atal
- A left-handed top-order batter, earning his maiden Test call-up after impressing in ODIs and T20Is.
- Ismat Alam
- A young medium-fast bowling all-rounder, back in the Test setup after an outstanding domestic season, where he scored 723 runs and took 12 wickets in the Ahmad Shah Abdali First-Class Competition.
- Zahir Shehzad
- A slow left-arm spinner, included after stellar domestic performances.
- Bashir Ahmad Afghan
- A left-arm pacer with an impressive record of 30 wickets at an average of 17.36 in domestic cricket, earning his Test debut.
Returning Players:
The squad also sees the return of seven uncapped players, including Azmatullah Omarzai, Fareed Ahmad Malik, and Riaz Hassan, who were part of Afghanistan’s squad for the rain-affected Test against New Zealand but are yet to make their debuts.
Afghanistan Squad for Zimbabwe Tests
- Hashmatullah Shahidi (C)
- Rahmat Shah (VC)
- Ikram Alikhail (WK)
- Afsar Zazai (WK)
- Riaz Hassan
- Sediqullah Atal
- Abdul Malik
- Baheer Shah Mahboob
- Ismat Alam
- Azmatullah Omarzai
- Zahir Khan
- Zia Ur Rehman Akbar
- Zahir Shehzad
- Rashid Khan
- Yamin Ahmadzai
- Bashir Ahmad Afghan
- Naveed Zadran
- Fareed Ahmad Malik
A Historic Test Match Awaits
This series against Zimbabwe marks another chapter in Afghanistan’s growing Test cricket journey. Having secured Test wins against Ireland, Bangladesh, and Zimbabwe in the past, Afghanistan will aim to continue their rise in the longest format of the game.
For Rashid Khan, his return signals a significant boost for Afghanistan as they take on a challenging Zimbabwe side in their home conditions. The series promises to showcase a mix of experience and emerging talent, further solidifying Afghanistan’s place in international cricket.
