Rashid Khan Returns: Afghanistan’s ODI Series Against South Africa

Rashid Khan Returns: Afghanistan’s ODI Series Against South Africa

 

Afghanistan's star leg-spinner Rashid Khan is set to make his return to One Day Internationals (ODIs) after nearly a year of absence due to injury, as he headlines the 17-member squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against South Africa in the UAE. This will be Afghanistan’s first-ever bilateral ODI series against South Africa, a major milestone in Afghan cricket history.

 

Rashid’s Long-Awaited Comeback

Rashid Khan last played an ODI during the 2023 ICC World Cup. Since then, he has been sidelined due to a series of injuries, including a recurring back issue that required surgery after the World Cup. His absence was felt throughout Afghanistan’s international commitments against teams like the UAE, India, Sri Lanka, and Ireland. Rashid even missed the entirety of several domestic T20 leagues, such as the Big Bash League (BBL), Pakistan Super League (PSL), and SA20, as well as a crucial one-off Test against New Zealand.

 

While he has gradually returned to action through various T20 leagues like the IPL, T20 World Cup, Major League Cricket (MLC), and the Hundred, Rashid had not been cleared for 50-over cricket until now. The upcoming series against South Africa will mark his long-awaited return to Afghanistan’s ODI setup, a crucial development for the team's preparation for the Champions Trophy next year, for which Afghanistan has qualified for the first time.

 

Mujeeb and Ibrahim Zadran Miss Out

Despite the excitement surrounding Rashid's return, Afghanistan will be without two key players. Mystery spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman is still recovering from an index finger sprain on his right hand, and promising top-order batter Ibrahim Zadran is ruled out due to an ankle injury that has kept him out of recent international fixtures. Zadran’s absence was especially felt in Afghanistan’s one-off Test against New Zealand, and his injury will prevent him from featuring in the ODIs as well.

 

In Mujeeb's absence, Afghanistan has called upon off-spinner AM Ghazanfar, who made his ODI debut earlier this year. Ghazanfar will be expected to fill the void left by both Mujeeb and Noor Ahmad, the wrist-spinner who was also left out of the squad. While it’s a big task for Ghazanfar, his selection demonstrates Afghanistan’s commitment to grooming young talent.

 

Uncapped Players: Bilal Sami, Darwish Rasooli, and Abdul Malik

The squad for the South Africa ODIs features a few uncapped players eager to make their mark on the international stage. Medium pacer Bilal Sami, who is yet to represent Afghanistan in any format, has been included in the squad. Alongside Sami are top-order batters Darwish Rasooli and Abdul Malik, both of whom have had brief stints in Afghanistan's T20I and Test teams but have not yet played in ODIs.

 

Malik has been brought in to cover for the injured Ibrahim Zadran, while Rasooli has previously shown promise in the shorter formats. These uncapped players will have a great opportunity to prove their potential in what will be a high-stakes series.

 

Afghanistan’s 17-Member Squad for South Africa ODIs:

 

·         Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain)

·         Rahmat Shah

·         Rahmanullah Gurbaz

·         Ikram Alikhil

·         Abdul Malik

·         Riaz Hassan

·         Darwish Rasooli

·         Azmatullah Omarzai

·         Mohammad Nabi

·         Gulbadin Naib

·         Rashid Khan

·         Nangeyalia Kharote

·         AM Ghazanfar

·         Fazalhaq Farooqi

·         Bilal Sami

·         Naveed Zadran

·         Fareed Ahmad