Mohammad Nabi Dropped From Afghanistan T20I Squad for Zimbabwe Series

Afghanistan have made several changes to their squads for the upcoming international assignments, with veteran all rounder Mohammad Nabi left out of the T20I team and middle order batter Darwish Rasooli omitted from both the ODI and T20I squads.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board has announced its squads for a busy schedule that includes a Test against Bangladesh, an ODI tri series involving Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, a three match T20I series against Zimbabwe and a two match Test series against Zimbabwe.

Nabi, 41, recently featured in Afghanistan’s T20I series against India but has now been left out of the squad for the upcoming matches against Zimbabwe. Rasooli has also lost his place in both limited overs formats.

Afghanistan have used the changes to bring several younger players into the T20I setup. Mohammad Akram, who made his international debut during the 2026 Asian Games, has earned a place in the squad after his recent performances.

Young fast bowling all rounder Abdullah Tarakhil has also been rewarded with a T20I call up following an impressive campaign in the Shpageeza Cricket League.

The selectors have also recalled Ijaz Ahmadzai and Shahidullah Kamal to the T20I squad. Fast bowler Fareed Ahmad Malik, who was previously among the reserves for the series against India, has been promoted to the main 15 member squad.

Ibrahim Zadran has been appointed captain of the T20I side, while Rahmat Shah will lead Afghanistan in both Test and ODI cricket. Rahmat recently guided the team to a 4 0 ODI series victory over Ireland and is now preparing for his first Test assignment as the permanent captain.

The Test squad has also undergone several changes. Ismat Alam returns after missing Afghanistan’s recent Test against India, while Shahidullah Kamal and Yamin Ahmadzai have earned recalls after strong performances in the Ahmad Shah Abdali First Class Tournament.

Shahidullah has been among the leading performers in the competition, scoring 538 runs at an average of 76.85. Yamin has been equally impressive with the ball, taking 42 wickets at an average of 12.73.

Experienced left arm spinner Zia Ur Rahman Akbar has also returned to the Test squad after spending almost a year away from international cricket because of injury. Leg spinner Khalil Gurbaz has been recalled after previously being part of Afghanistan’s Test setup for the Ireland series in 2024.

Rashid Khan and Ibrahim Zadran will continue to be rested from Test cricket. Medical assessments have advised both players against taking part in the longer format at this stage.

The upcoming Test against Bangladesh will be a significant occasion for Afghanistan as they prepare to host Bangladesh in a Test match for the first time. The game is scheduled to take place at the Sheikh Zayed International Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi from October 9 to 13.

The ODI tri series featuring Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe will begin on October 17. The first two matches will be played in Abu Dhabi before the competition moves to Sharjah for the remaining fixtures, with the series scheduled to conclude on October 23.

Afghanistan and Zimbabwe will then face each other in three T20Is on October 27, October 29 and November 1. The two teams will remain in Sharjah for a two match Test series beginning on November 5, with the second Test scheduled for November 13 to 17.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board has described the Test assignments as important opportunities for its players to gain experience in the longest format. The ODI tri series will also form part of Afghanistan’s preparation for the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.

The latest squad selections indicate a balance between experience and emerging talent, with Afghanistan retaining key players in their limited overs setup while giving younger performers opportunities to establish themselves at international level.

Afghanistan Test Squad: Rahmat Shah (Captain), Ikram Alikhail (Vice Captain and wicketkeeper), Afsar Zazai (wicketkeeper), Sediqullah Atal, Abdul Malik, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Rahmanullah Zadran, Shahidullah Kamal, Ismat Alam, Qais Ahmad, Zia Ur Rahman Akbar, Khalil Gurbaz, Mohammad Saleem Safi, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi and Yamin Ahmadzai.

Reserves: Baheer Shah Mahboob, Naseer Khan Maroofkhil, Bilal Sami and Bashir Ahmad.

Afghanistan ODI Squad: Rahmat Shah (Captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Vice Captain and wicketkeeper), Ikram Alikhil, Sediqullah Atal, Ibrahim Zadran, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangyalai Khan, AM Ghazanfar, Bilal Sami, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi, Fazal Haq Farooqi and Yamin Ahmadzai.

Travelling Reserve: Qais Ahmad.

Afghanistan T20I Squad: Ibrahim Zadran (Captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wicketkeeper), Noor Rahman (wicketkeeper), Sediqullah Atal, Mohammad Akram, Shahidullah Kamal, Ijaz Ahmadzai, Azmatullah Omarzai, Abdullah Tarakhil, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Abdullah Ahmadzai and Farid Ahmad Malik.

Reserves: Faridoon Dawoodzai, Qais Ahmad and Nangyalai Khan.

Courtesy: A-sports