Mujeeb left out for Ireland Test, Shahzad out of T20Is

KABUL: Mujeeb Ur Rahman has been left out of Afghanistan’s 14-member Test squad that will take on Ireland next month in Dehradun. Both teams play each other in all three formats from February 21. The other notable absentee was opener Mohammad Shahzad. He couldn’t find a place in the T20I side but was included to play the ODIs and Test match.

There were three new additions in the Afghanistan squad from their inaugural Test against India last year: left-hand batsman Ikram Ali Khil, left-arm seamer Waqar Salamkheil and allrounder Sharafuddin Ashraf. Both Ikram and Waqar are yet to make an international appearance for Afghanistan. Ikram has scored 343 runs from six first-class games at an average of 38.11, while Waqar has 56 wickets at an average of 21.46 from seven first-class matches. Sharafuddin, on the other hand, has played 14 ODIs and six T20Is.

Zahir Khan, the left-arm wrist spinner, found a place in both ODI and T20I squads, while left-arm orthodox spinner Zia-Ur-Rehman was included in the T20I side. Ikram is part of the ODI squad as well.

Before the only Test, the two sides will play three T20Is followed by five ODIs. For both Afghanistan and Ireland this will be their second Test. As preparation, the Afghanistan players had trained in Chennai and Bengaluru prior to the series.