Kabul: Left-handed batter Hashmatullah Shahidi on Monday has made a return to Afghanistan’s T20I squad for the upcoming five-match tour of Ireland.
Shahidi, who last played a T20I for Afghanistan in March 2021 against Zimbabwe in Abu Dhabi, earns a recall after strong performances in the 2022 Shpageeza Cricket League, making 259 runs in seven innings at an average of 51.80 for his team Boost Defenders.
Also picked in the squad are right-arm pacer Naveen ul Haq and opening batter Ibrahim Zadran. Spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman is named in the reserves alongside Nijat Masoud, Qais Ahmad, and Usman Ghani.
According to chief selector Noor Malikzai, Mujeeb’s visa is not yet issued and thus he has been added to reserve players. He stated that once the problem is resolved, he will be included back in the main squad.
Mir Mubariz, a member of the national selection committee, said they have an eye on Asia Cup 2022 in UAE and ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia and that the Ireland series has vital importance “in terms of our overall preparations for the mega events upfront.”
Afghanistan’s five-match T20I series against Ireland will be played at Stormont on August 9, 11, 12, 15 and 17. The series will also mark the start of Jonathan Trott’s stint as Afghanistan’s new head coach, with Graham Thorpe seriously ill.
T20I Squad: Mohammad Nabi (C), Afsar Zazai, Azmatullah Omarzai, Darwish Rasooli, Farid Ahmad Malik, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Hazratullah Zazai, Ibrahim Zadran, Karim Janat, Najibullah Zadran, Naveen ul Haq, Noor Ahmad, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rashid Khan and Sharafuddin Ashraf.
Reserves: Mujib ur Rahman, Nijat Masoud, Qais Ahmad, and Usman Ghani
–IANS