Afghanistan announce 17-member squad for Asia Cup 2023

Afghanistan will play their opening clash of Asia Cup 2023 against Bangladesh on September 3.

Underdogs Afghanistan have announced their 17-member squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2023. Afghanistan recently played a three-match ODI series against Pakistan and challenged them nicely in the second one-day international. Afghanistan have recalled all-rounder Karim Janat for the big Asian event after a gap of six years. They have also called in left-arm spinner Sharafuddin Ashraf in the 17-member squad. Hashmatullah Shahidi will be leading the squad in the Asia Cup. They have dropped Wafadar Mommad and Azmatullah Omarzai from the squad, these two players were part of the Pakistan series.

Karim Janat comes in, Naveen Ul Haq misses out

25-years-old Karim Janat has played only two international games for Afghanistan so far, he made his international debut in a one-day international format against Zimbabwe in 2017 and then got another opportunity to represent his country in 2023 against Bangladesh in a test match. Janat has not played any ODIs since his debut. Sharafuddin Ashraf has played 19 ODI games for Afghanistan so far after making his debut in 2015. He was not part of the national squad last year. He last played an ODI against Ireland in Belfast in August 2022.

Afghanistan’s bowling attack looks like challenge to everyone. Afghanistan’s bowlers did a magnificent job against Pakistan in the last three ODIs, as they bundled out Pakistan on 201 in the first ODI and conceded 268 runs in the final ODI, while in the second game, Pakistan somehow managed to win by just one wicket. Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Zadran, Fazalhaq Farooqi, and Noor Ahmed will play crucial roles for them in the upcoming event as well.

Not only in the Asia Cup, Afghanistan might make an impact with a similar bowling line-up in the World Cup 2023. Afghanistan will be playing their opening Asia Cup 2023 game against Bangladesh on 3rd September at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. They are placed in group B along with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. In an advantage, Afghanistan will play both of their league games at the same venue in Lahore. After Bangladesh, they will take on Sri Lanka on 5th September. 

Afghanistan squad for the Asia Cup 2023

Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hassan, Rahmat Shah, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Najibullah Zadran, Rashid Khan, Ikram Khalil, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Noor Ahmed, Abdul Rahman, Mohammad Saleem

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