Rashid Khan has been rested for the one-off Test against New Zealand
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced on Monday (August 26) that they have decided to rest Rashid Khan for the upcoming one-off Test series against New Zealand, citing that he has yet to reach the peak fitness required for the longer format of the game.
The ACB revealed a 20-member preliminary squad for the Test, which is scheduled to take place from September 9-13 in Greater Noida, India.
Rashid Khan, who was ruled out of The Hundred on August 12 due to a hamstring injury, has not fully recovered despite playing a few matches in the recently concluded Shpageeza Cricket League (SCL) 2024.
The all-rounder’s fitness level remains a concern for the demands of Test cricket.
“Rashid was injured recently.
He was advised to rest for three to four weeks.
Although he participated in several Shpageeza T20 matches, he is not yet fit enough to handle the rigors of the longer format,” said Sayed Naseem Sadaat, spokesperson of the ACB, in a statement to Cricpulse on Monday.
“We’re hopeful that he will be ready for the three-match ODI series against South Africa,” he added.
Afghanistan is set to face South Africa in a three-match ODI series in the United Arab Emirates from September 18-22.
In the meantime, the 20-member squad will depart for India on August 28 and participate in a one-week preparation camp in Greater Noida.
The ACB’s selection committee will announce the final squad at the conclusion of the camp, based on the players’ performance and fitness.
“Twenty players have been chosen for the training camp, and a 15-member squad will be finalized to play the Test against New Zealand after evaluating their performance and fitness,” said Ahmad Shah Sulimankhel, the chief selector of the ACB, in a statement on Monday.
The preliminary squad
| Player Name |
|---|
| Hashmatullah Shahidi (Captain) |
| Ibrahim Zadran |
| Riaz Hassan |
| Abdul Malik |
| Rahmat Shah |
| Baheer Shah Mahboob |
| Ikram Alikhel |
| Shahidullah Kamal |
| Gulbadin Naib |
| Afsar Zazai |
| Azmatullah Omarzai |
| Ziaurrahman Akbar |
| Shamsurrahman |
| Qais Ahmad |
| Zahir Khan |
| Nijat Masoud |
| Farid Ahmad Malik |
| Naveed Zadran |
| Khalil Ahmad |
| Yama Arab |
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