Afghanistan Cricket Board’s National Selection Committee announced Monday the squad for the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka.

The third and final stage of the tour is scheduled to be played from Saturday, February 17 to 21 at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium.

Rashid Khan, Afghanistan’s regular T20I captain, continues to recover from back surgery and has not been drafted into the squad. Ibrahim Zadran, who led Afghanistan in the previous two T20I series in the UAE and India, will captain the team against Sri Lanka.

Mujeeb Ur Rahman also missed out on the squad after injuring his right hand before the start of the ODI series against Sri Lanka last week.

In addition, fast bowler Mohammad Saleem Safi, who was part of the Afghanistan squad for the India tour, has been left out of the squad due to a hamstring strain. However, Wafadar Momand has been recalled to the squad to face Sri Lanka, as Safi’s replacement.

Chief Selector Ahmad Shah Sulimankhil says this stage of the tour will help prepare for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

“We have a close sight on the upcoming T20 World Cup for which we want to prepare a very good mix of players consisting of both juniors and seniors. This series alongside the three T20Is against Ireland in March is a good opportunity for us to test our bench strength and finalize a good squad for the mega event.”

The board’s CEO, Naseeb Khan, meanwhile said they are closely monitoring the involvement of youngsters and are committed to offering them extended opportunities at the highest level to nurture their skills.

“We have consistently aimed to provide our young players with the exposure they deserve, a commitment we have maintained successfully so far. Building a strong bench strength is a priority for us, as we want to ensure we have good backups for our key players when needed, (such as) the role Qais Ahmad is currently playing for Rashid Khan,” he said.

Afghanistan Squad for the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka:

Ibrahim Zadran (C), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Mohammad Ishaq Rahimi (WK), Hazratullah Zazai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Karim Janat, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad, Naveen Ul Haq, Noor Ahmad, Wafadar Momand and Qais Ahmad.

Final ODI

The third and final ODI will meanwhile be played on Wednesday, February 14. Sri Lanka has already clinched the three-match series 2-0 so Afghanistan will be hoping to add at least one win to their belt.

The second match was played in Kandi on Sunday, February 11, when Charith Asalanka’s flamboyant knock (97* off 74) and Wanindu Hasaranga’s scathing spell (4-27) were the major highlights as Sri Lanka hammered Afghanistan by 155 runs.

For fans, Ariana Television will broadcast Wednesday’s match live – so be sure to tune in to watch the match.