KABUL: Afghanistan announced their squad on Sunday for next month’s ICC Champions Trophy, with prolific opener Ibrahim Zadran returning after an injury lay-off but spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman missing out.

The country’s performance in white-ball cricket has been strong recently — finishing sixth in the 50-over World Cup in 2023 and reaching the semi-final in last year’s Twenty20 World Cup.

This will be the first time Afghanistan participate in the eight-nation Champions Trophy, staged between Feb 19 and March 9 in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.

“Zadran, who was away from action due to an ankle injury, has returned to the squad,” said a statement from the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB).

“However, Mujeeb Ur Rahman misses out on the selection, as A.M. Ghazanfar, a similar mystery spinner, has made the cut for the mega event.”

Rahman was left out because “he has been advised by his doctor to focus on T20s for a while to ensure his full recovery”, added acting ACB chief selector Ahmad Suliman Khil.

But fast-rising opener Sediqullah Atal did secure a place in the squad, the ACB said.

Afghanistan beat England and Pakistan in the ODI World Cup and Australia and New Zealand in the T20 World Cup.

Their Champions Trophy campaign begins with a clash against South Africa in Karachi on Feb 21, before they face England and Australia in Lahore.

Squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Rahmat Shah (vice-captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wicket-keeper), Ikram Alikhil (wicket-keeper), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, A.M. Ghazanfar, Noor Ahmad, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Naveed Zadran, Farid Ahmad Malik.

Published in Dawn, January 13th, 2025