Zubaid Akbari earns maiden call-up as Afghanistan announces squad for Zimbabwe tour

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) on Sunday announced its ODI and T20I squads for the upcoming tour of Zimbabwe, with young left-handed batter Zubaid Akbari receiving his first international call-up.

The squad also marks the return of star spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who has recovered from a phalanx sprain and will play in both formats. Darwish Rasooli, who recently led Afghanistan to the Emerging Asia Cup title, has been included in the T20I squad following an impressive domestic season.

Notably, star opener Ibrahim Zadran remains unavailable as he continues to recover from ankle surgery.

ACB CEO Naseeb Khan expressed confidence in the team’s prospects for the tour, highlighting Afghanistan’s strong record in Zimbabwe. “Afghanistan have a strong history in Zimbabwe, and we look forward to another memorable tour. The selected players are ready for the challenge,” said Khan.

Interim Chief Selector Ahmad Shah emphasized the depth of the squad, praising Mujeeb’s return and the inclusion of Akbari and Rasooli. “Mujeeb’s return is vital. Zubaid Akbari and Darwish Rasooli have earned their spots, and we wish them success,” Shah stated.

Afghanistan enters the Zimbabwe tour with momentum, having clinched a 2-1 ODI series victory over Bangladesh in Sharjah during their last white-ball outing.

Also See: Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe Series Schedule, Upcoming Matches, Dates and Timing

Fixtures:

• 1st T20I – Wednesday, December 11.
• 2nd T20I – Friday, December 13.
• 3rd T20I – Saturday, December 14.
• 1st ODI – Tuesday, December 17.
• 2nd ODI – Thursday, December 19.
• 3rd ODI – Saturday, December 21.
• 1st Test – December 26 to December 30.
• 2nd Test – January 2 to January 6.

T20I Squad: Rashid Khan (C), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Mohammad Ishaq, Sediqullah Atal, Hazratullah Zazai, Mohammad Nabi, Darwish Rasooli, Zubaid Akbari, Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat, Azmatullah Omarzai, Nangyal Kharoti, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad, Naveen Ul Haq.

ODI Squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Rahmat Shah, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ikram Alikhil, Abdul Malik, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, AM Ghazanfar, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Bilal Sami, Naveed Zadran, Farid Ahmad Malik.