Afghanistan recalled fast bowler Naveen-ul-Haq in the 15-man World Cup squad announced on Wednesday, but all-rounder Gulbadin Naib was dropped despite recent good performance.
Naib, 32, led Afghanistan in the last World Cup held in England four years ago where the team lost all nine matches and he was sacked. But the medium pacer took seven wickets in the last three ODIs, including 4-60 against Bangladesh in the Asia Cup encounter in Lahore last week.
Naveen played the last of his seven ODIs against Ireland in January 2021. Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) said the squad is strong and is expected to do well.
Hashmatullah Shahidi leads the squad that has four changes following a two-match loss in the Asia Cup and a 3-0 series wipe out against Pakistan in Sri Lanka. Besides Naib, also out are Karim Janat, Sharafuddin Ashraf and Suliman Safi.
Afghanistan open their 2023 World Cup campaign against Bangladesh in Dharamsala in India on October 7. Afghanistan will hope their spin quartet of Rashid Khan, Mohamed Nabi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Noor Ahmad do well on the spin pitches of India.
Afghanistan World Cup squad:
Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hassan, Rahmat Shah, Najibullah Zadran, Mohamed Nabi, Ikram Alikhil, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Abdul Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq
Bangladesh’s Mushfiqur to miss India match in Asia Cup
Bangladeshi batsman Mushfiqur Rahim will skip tomorrow’s Asia Cup Super Four match against India to spend time with his wife and newborn daughter, the cricket board said. Bangladesh is already out of the race for the September 17 final after India defeated Sri Lanka by 41 runs in Colombo on Tuesday, in the tournament that is a prelude to the upcoming ODI World Cup in India.
Mushfiqur had returned to Bangladesh for the birth of his second child, born on Monday. He was initially expected to rejoin the team for the India match in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo. He will now remain in Dhaka, the Bangladesh Cricket Board said.
Skipper Shakib Al Hasan, who also returned home with Mushfiqur after their defeat against Sri Lanka on September 9, rejoined the team in Colombo on Wednesday.
They will wrap up the campaign with the India game, before preparing for a three-match series against New Zealand at home next week. (AFP)
Afghanistan's fast bowler Naveen-ul-Haq
