Afghanistan’s Cricket World Cup 2023 Squad | Get to Know the Players and Their key strengths
The Afghanistan team players list for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 is as follows:
| Name | Age | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Hashmatullah Shahidi | 28 | Top order batter and captain |
| Ibrahim Zadran | 21 | Opening batter |
| Rahmat Shah | 30 | Allrounder |
| Mohammad Nabi | 38 | Allrounder |
| Azmatullah Omarzai | 23 | Allrounder |
| Mujeeb Ur Rahman | 22 | Bowler |
| Fazalhaq Farooqi | 22 | Bowler |
| Naveen-ul-Haq | 23 | Bowler |
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz | 21 | Wicketkeeper batter |
| Riaz Hassan | 20 | Batter |
| Najibullah Zadran | 30 | Middle order batter |
| Ikram Alikhil | 22 | Wicketkeeper batter |
| Rashid Khan | 24 | Bowling allrounder |
| Noor Ahmad | 18 | Bowler |
| Abdul Rahman | 21 | Bowler |
The squad was announced by the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) on Wednesday, 14 September 2023, with eight players making their debut World Cup appearance, including captain Shahidi. The squad consists of a mix of experienced and young players, who have shown promising performances in the recent Asia Cup 2023, where Afghanistan reached the semi-finals. The squad is coached by Lance Klusener, who expressed his optimism and confidence in the team’s potential and talent.
Some of the key strengths of this team are:
- A formidable top-order batting, led by Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who is an adept wicketkeeper-batter and possesses the remarkable ability to dismantle any bowling attack that comes his way. He has scored 543 runs in 18 T20Is at an average of 32.52 and a strike rate of 143.74.
- A exceptional spin-bowling prowess, featuring two illustrious spinners reigning in the top echelons of the ODI rankings. Notably, off-spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman commands a remarkable third-place standing, while the highly skilled leg-spinner Rashid Khan firmly holds the fourth spot. This formidable spin duo stands to gain significant advantage from the conditions prevalent in Asian settings, which invariably favour spin-oriented strategies.
- A balanced team composition with experienced players, all-rounders and young talents, who can adapt to different conditions and situations. The team has players like Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Fazalhaq Farooqi and Riaz Hassan, who can provide depth and firepower to the batting and bowling departments.
- A strong overseas T20 record and a history of giving tough competition to powerhouses like India and Pakistan. The team has won more than 50 per cent of their T20Is and has reached the semi-finals of the Asia Cup twice (2018 and 2023). The team has also defeated teams like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and West Indies in T20Is .
