Rashid Khan, considered to be one of the most prominent figure in Afghan cricket, has decided to step away from Test cricket in order to recover from ongoing back issues following surgery he had last year.
Rashid Khan Takes A Break From Test Cricket
Rashid and the team management have mutually agreed on his temporary break from the Test format due to these back concerns, according to an Afghanistan Cricket Board’s source speaking to PTI,
He was also absent from the preliminary squad announced for the upcoming one-off Test against New Zealand which will be starting from September 9.
The star bowler was also sidelined for four months after his back surgery post the ODI World Cup in India last October and November. Recently, he was the skipper of Afghanistan and led the team to the semifinals in the T20 World Cup held in the USA and the Caribbean. Rashid was also seen in action in three matches over consecutive days in the Shpageeza T20 League in Kabul, where he picked six wickets across those games.
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“The plan for Rashid after the surgery was to gradually increase his workload. Not playing the longer format for the next six months to one year was also part of the plan.
“In Tests, he would be required to keep bowling from one end and his back is not ready for that kind of workload. He should be available for the ODI series against South Africa next month,” the source said.
Rashid Khan has a great international record, he has featured in five Test matches, 103 ODIs, and 93 T20Is for Afghanistan. However, the team rarely competes in Test matches against top-tier sides like New Zealand.
Earlier this month, Rashid also dealt with a hamstring injury sustained during The Hundred in the UK.
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The Afghanistan squad has already reached their adopted home venue, Greater Noida with preparations in full swing for Test match against New Zealand.
Rashid Khan is expected to be available and play the three ODIs against South Africa, scheduled to take place in the UAE from September 18. The series will mark the first-ever bilateral contest between the two nations.
Azmatullah Omarzai Likely To Make Test Debut
Dynamic all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai is all prepped up for his Test debut. Omarzai made a remarkable impact during last year’s ODI World Cup, amassing 353 runs in eight innings with an impressive average of 70.60 and a strike rate of 97.78, which included three half-centuries. His significant contribution was just not limited to batting but he performed excellently while bowling and took 7 wickets.
ACB announces preliminary squad before the one-off test against New Zealand
The ACB Selection Committee named a 20-member preliminary Squad for the one-off test match against New Zealand from September 9-13 in Greater Noida, India.
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— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) August 26, 2024
In the T20 World Cup 2024, Omarzai was the key player in Afghanistan’s campaign. He was the team’s third-highest run-scorer, contributing 111 runs in eight matches.
Afghanistan Squad For New Zealand One-Off Test:
Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hassan, Abdul Malik, Rahmat Shah, Baheer Shah Mahboob, Ikram Alikhel (wk), Shahidullah Kamal, Gulbadin Naib, Afsar Zazai (wk), Azmatullah Omarzai, Ziaurrahman Akbar, Shamsurrahman, Qais Ahmad, Zahir Khan, Nijat Masoud, Farid Ahmad Malik, Naveed Zadran, Khalil Ahmad and Yama Arab.
