Afghanistan Rests Rashid Khan for One-Off Test Against Bangladesh

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has surprised cricket enthusiasts by resting star spinner Rashid Khan for the upcoming one-off Test against Bangladesh. The ACB announced a 15-member Test squad for the match, featuring three uncapped players, namely pacer Ibrahim Abdulrahimzai, Nijat Masoud, and young leg-spinner Izharulhaq. The game is scheduled to commence at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on June 14. 

Rashid Khan rested 

Rashid Khan’s absence comes as a shock, considering his stellar performance in the last Test between the two nations in Chattogram back in 2019. During that match, Rashid proved to be the wrecker-in-chief, taking 11 wickets and leading Afghanistan to a historic victory over the hosts. 

Raees Ahmadzai, assistant coach of the Afghanistan team, confirmed that Rashid was rested due to the heavy workload and to prevent any risks associated with his back injury. Despite skipping the first two ODIs against Sri Lanka, Rashid returned to play the final game, which unfortunately resulted in a loss for Afghanistan. 

Hashmatullah to captain the squad

Ahmadzai expressed the team’s eagerness to see how their young spin prodigy, Izharulhaq, copes with the pressure of international cricket. The coaching staff believes this opportunity will allow him to showcase his skills and contribute to the team’s success. 

The squad announcement also highlighted the inclusion of medium-pace bowling all-rounder Karim Janat, who recently impressed with a remarkable all-round performance in the Ahmad Shah Abdali First Class Tournament. Janat was honored as the best player of the tournament, further solidifying his place in the national side. 

The Afghanistan squad for the one-off Test against Bangladesh will be led by Hashmatullah Shahidi, with Rahmat Shah serving as the vice-captain. Zia ur Rahman Akbar, Noor Ali Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, and Sayed Ahmad Shirzad have been named as part of the reserve set-up for the tour, providing additional depth to the team. 

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 Ahmadzai and Nijat Masoud. 

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