Afghanistan have decided to give Rashid Khan a short breather, leaving him out of the one-off Test against Zimbabwe that begins in Harare on 20 October. In a brief board statement the leg-spinner’s absence was labelled a “precautionary measure to prioritise his well-being and sustained performance for upcoming international events”. He will return to captain the three-match T20I series that follows from 29 October.
With Rashid on the sidelines, the selectors have mixed continuity with a few eye-catching promotions from the domestic four-day circuit. Right-arm seamer Ziaur Rahman, left-arm spinner Sharafuddin Ashraf and leg-spinner Khalil Gurbaz are all rewarded for strong red-ball seasons. Left-arm all-rounder Shahidullah, a model of consistency at provincial level, is included in both squads.
New-ball bowler Bashir Ahmad – who impressed in last month’s white-ball fixtures against Bangladesh – keeps his Test place, while Hashmatullah Shahidi continues as captain. The batting core is familiar: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Bahir Shah and wicketkeepers Afsar Zazai and Ikram Alikhil form the top-order options.
For the T20Is Rashid returns at the helm, with Ibrahim his deputy. All-rounder Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai earns a recall, having debuted early last year, and the experienced quartet of Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Noor Ahmad provide depth. Left-arm quicks Fareed Malik and Abdullah Ahmadzai complete the pace unit.
Chief selector Ahmad Shah Suleimankhil welcomed the balance in the squads, noting that “blooding a few youngsters without unsettling the core is the way forward for our red-ball plans.” Assistant coach Raees Ahmadzai added that Rashid’s brief rest “should leave him fresh for both the T20Is and the bigger tournaments on the horizon”.
All six matches will be played in Harare, finishing on 2 November – a tidy window that allows Afghanistan a short turnaround before their winter schedule ramps up.
Afghanistan Test squad
Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Abdul Malik, Afsar Zazai (wk), Ikram Alikhil (wk), Bahir Shah, Shahidullah, Ismat Alam, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Ziaur Rahman Akbar, Yamin Ahmadzai, Zia ur Rahman Sharifi, Khalil Gurbaz, Bashir Ahmad.
Reserves: Ibrahim Abdulrahimzai, Sediqullah Atal, Shams ur Rahman.
Afghanistan T20I squad
Rashid Khan (capt), Ibrahim Zadran (vice-capt), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Shahidullah, Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Bashir Ahmad, Fareed Malik, Abdullah Ahmadzai.
Reserves: AM Ghazanfar, Faridoon Dawoodzai.
The selection group hope the mix of seasoned internationals and fresh faces can bank a first-ever away Test win over Zimbabwe and carry momentum into the T20Is. As Suleimankhil put it, “We’re aiming for progress in both formats, not quick fixes.”
