Rashid Khan rested as Afghanistan announce squad for one-off test against Bangladesh

Afghanistan last played a test match was in 2021 against Zimbabwe.

After getting a 1-2 drubbing against Sri Lanka in the ODIs, Afghanistan are set to take on Bangladesh for a red-ball challenge. Afghanistan have made a big move ahead of their one-off test clash against Bangladesh at Sher-e-Bangla Cricket Stadium in Mirpur. ACB have rested their star leg-spinner Rashid Khan for the only test against Bangladesh. Afghanistan will be playing a test after a two-year gap. ACB have taken this decision to keep Rashid’s fitness given the upcoming big events like Asia Cup and World Cup in India. Afghanistan have directly qualified for the World Cup tournament with their decent performance in the Super League. Afghanistan’s test against Bangladesh is scheduled to begin on 14th June. 

Rashid Khan given rest before big events

Rashid Khan was Afghanistan’s match-winner in their previous meeting against Bangladesh in 2019. Rashid picked up 11 wickets in the game and also smashed a fifty in the first innings. In place of him, Afghanistan have given young spinner Izharulhaq an opportunity. Rashid Khan after a long two-month Indian Premier League season had a problem in his back and skipped the first two ODIs against Sri Lanka. Afghanistan’s assistant coach Raees Ahmedzai has said, “He was rested from the lone test match against Bangladesh as he played too much non-stop cricket and we do not want to take a risk with him taking his back injury into consideration”. 

Afghanistan’s only double centurion in test cricket, Hashmatullah Shahidi has been appointed as captain of the Afghanistan team. Shahidi also led the team against Sri Lanka in a 3-match ODI series. Rahmat Shah has been appointed as vice-captain of the team. Afghanistan are looking to develop a pool of players in the longer format of the game with their domestic structure. They have prioritised domestic first-class season performance more than anything else before picking their squad for a test against Bangladesh in Mirpur. Afghanistan last played a test in March 2021 against Zimbabwe. 

Afghanistan squad for the one-off test against Bangladesh

Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmat Shah (vc), Afsar Zazai (wk), Ikram Alikhail (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Abdul Malik, Baheer Shah, Nasir Jamal, Karim Janat, Zahir Khan, Izharulhaq Naweed, Hamza Hotak, Ibrahim Abdulrahimzai, Yamin Ahmedzai, Nijat Masoud

Reserves: Zia ur Rahman, Noor Ali Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Syed Ahmed Shirzad