A full-strength Afghanistan team will take part in the 2025 Asia Cup after the ACB announced their 17-member squad for the tournament on Sunday (August 24). Mujeeb-Ur-Rahman and Allah Ghazanfar, who both missed the Champions Trophy earlier this year, have returned to the national setup to bolster the spin attack that will be led by skipper Rashid Khan and veteran Mohammad Nabi. Ibrahim Zadran, who made his comeback earlier this year in the Champions Trophy, has returned to the squad too with Hazratullah Zazai making way.
Darwish Rasooli, Sediqullah Atal form the fulcrum of the batters while Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Mohammad Ishaq are the 'keeper-batters included in the squad. Afghanistan have a settled core of all-rounders including the 40-year-old Nabi. Alongside him, the squad also consists of Azmatullah Omarzai, Karim Janat, and Gulbadin Naib.
The pace attack will be led by left-arm pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi with Naveen-ul-Haq and Farid Ahmad Malik also forming part of the mix. If picked in the XI, this will be Naveen's first game for Afghanistan in 2025 like Mujeeb and Ghazanfar considering the pacer had already quit the ODI format.
The squad also contains three travelling reserves, namely: Wafiullah Tarakhail, Nangyal Kharote, and Abdullah Ahmadzai. Afghanistan will also feature in a tri-series against UAE and Pakistan from this week, which will also feature most of the squad.
Afghanistan will begin their Asia Cup campaign with the tournament opener against Hong Kong on September 9.
Squad: Rashid Khan (c),Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Darwish Rasooli, Sediqullah Atal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Karim Janat, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Mohammad Ishaq, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb ur Rahman, AM Ghazanfar, Farid Ahmad Malik, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen ul Haq
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