The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced their 15-member squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which will be held from February 19 to March 9 in Pakistan and the UAE.
Top-order batter Ibrahim Zadran, who has recovered from an ankle injury, made his return to the national team. Mystery spinner AM Ghazanfar replaced Mujeebur Rahman, who opted to focus on T20 cricket to recover fully.
The squad also includes Sediqullah Atal, who was named Player of the Series in a recent ODI series against Zimbabwe, where he scored 156 runs, including a century and a half-century.
ACB Chairman Mirwais Ashraf praised the team’s performance in recent international tournaments and expressed optimism about their future prospects. “AfghanAtalan performed exceptionally well in the last two ICC events, CWC23 and ICC World T20 2024,” Ashraf said. “Their success will undoubtedly boost their morale and help them deliver even better results this time.”
Ashraf also announced the appointment of former Pakistan captain Younis Khan as the team’s mentor. “After the success of having mentors in the previous events, we look forward to benefiting from Younis Khan’s extensive international experience,” he added.
Interim Chief Selector Ahmad Suliman Khil clarified Mujeebur Rahman’s exclusion from the squad, stating, “Mujeeb was unavailable for selection as his doctor advised him to focus on T20s for a full recovery before returning to ODIs.”
He emphasized the team’s readiness for the Champions Trophy, highlighting their familiarity with the conditions in Pakistan and the UAE. “We will conduct a preparation camp in multiple phases before the tournament. Expectations are high, and I hope the team will perform strongly, just as they did in the last two World Cups,” Khil said.
Afghanistan’s Squad for ICC Champions Trophy 2025:
Hashmatullah Shahidi (Captain), Rahmat Shah (Vice-Captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Ikram Alikhil (WK), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, AM Ghazanfar, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveed Zadran, Fareed Ahmad Malik.
Reserves:
Darwish Rasooli, Nangyal Kharoti, Bilal Sami
Key Fixtures:
- February 21: Afghanistan vs South Africa, Karachi
- February 26: Afghanistan vs England, Lahore
- February 28: Afghanistan vs Australia, Lahore
