World Cup 2023: Afghanistan announces 15-member squad

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) on Wednesday announced a 15-member squad for the ICC World Cup 2023 to be played in India in October-November.

Hashmatullah Shahidi will captain the team, that also includes three reserve players including senior allrounder Gulbadin Naib, Sharafudin Ashraf, and Farid Ahmad Malik.

Azmatullah Omarzai returns from an injury that sidelined him from the Asia Cup while Naveen ul-Haq, who last played a List A game in 2021, also comes back into the squad.

Naveen has played only seven ODIs till date, taking 14 wickets at an average of 25.42.

Gulbadin Naib, meanwhile, shone on his ODI comeback in the Pakistan series with the wickets of the openers and then on Tuesday, took a four-wicket haul against Sri Lanka, but finds himself out of the squad.

The rest of the squad has a familiar look with the spin department stocked with some outstanding talent. Aside from senior spinners Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi, the squad also features Mujeeb ur Rahman and Noor Ahmad.

The pace attack is bolstered by the return of Naveen, and also has Fazalhaq Farooqi, Abdul Rahman and Omarzai.

Afghanistan World Cup squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hassan, Rahmat Shah, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhil, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Abdul Rahman, Naveen ul Haq.

Afghanistan will open its World Cup campaign against Bangladesh in Dharamsala on October 7.