Afghanistan’s T20I captain Rashid Khan continues to miss action due to back surgery, sidelining him from the upcoming three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka. The 16-member squad also excludes Mujeeb Ur Rahman, nursing a hand injury, and fast bowler Mohammad Saleem, recovering from a hamstring strain.
With changes abound, Afghanistan replaces wicketkeeper-batter Ikram Alikhil and top-order batter Rahmat Shah. Wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Ishaq earns a call-up, while fast bowler Wafadar Momand joins the squad in place of the injured Saleem.
Despite the absence of key players, Ibrahim Zadran retains leadership responsibilities, having previously led against India and UAE. He will rely on a lineup featuring Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Hazratullah Zazai, and Azmatullah Omarzai. The bowling attack, spearheaded by Fazalhaq Farooqi, will see contributions from Naveen-ul-Haq, Fareed Ahmad, and Momand, supported by spinners Noor Ahmad, Qais Ahmad, and Sharafuddin Ashraf.
Afghanistan aims for a turnaround after recent setbacks in Sri Lanka, having lost the only Test match and trailing 0-2 in the ODI series. The T20I series kicks off on February 17 in Dambulla, followed by matches on February 19 and 21.
