Afghanistan have announced their squad for the upcoming white-ball series against Sri Lanka starting March 13 .
The big change sees Ibrahim Zadran appointed as the new T20I captain, taking over from Rashid Khan, as Afghanistan step into a new era under newly appointed head coach Richard Pybus .
T20I squad: Ibrahim Zadran (C), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Noor Rahman, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Shahidullah Kamal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi, Fareed Ahmad Malik, and Abdullah Ahmadzai.
ODI squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Rahmat Shah, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ikram Alikhil, Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, AM Ghazanfar, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi, Fareed Ahmad Malik, and Bilal Sami.
Zadran's knock of genuine class | Player Highlights | T20WC 2026
A resolute 95 off 56 from Ibrahim Zadran guided Afghanistan to a big total against Canada at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026.
“Rashid Khan’s tenure as the T20I captain brought immense success to the team, particularly highlighted by the team’s remarkable journey in the 2024 edition of the T20 World Cup, where we reached the semifinals," ACB chief selector, Ahmad Shah Sulimankhil said.
“In alignment with the ACB’s long-term strategic vision and following recent changes in our Team Management, including the appointment of a new head coach, we have made the thoughtful decision to transition the leadership within the T20I setup”
Rashid traps the in-form Rickelton | T20WC 2026
Rashid Khan traps the dangerous Ryan Rickelton lbw at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026.
Afghanistan are coming on the back of a group stage exit from the ongoing ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 . After a historic run to the semi-final in the 2024 edition, Afghanistan failed to progress through to the next round. Meanwhile, co-hosts Sri Lanka were knocked in the Super 8s.
The upcoming series will mark the first outing for both sides since the end of their campaigns.
Left-arm pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi, all-rounder Gulbadin Naib, and wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Ishaq are the notable exclusions from the squad that featured in the T20 World Cup.
Shanaka's gritty fight in Kandy | Player Highlights | T20WC 2026
Skipper Dasun Shanaka battled on for Sri Lanka with a gutsy 76 off 31 against Pakistan at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026.
Replacing them, top-order wicketkeeper-batter Noor Rahman, left-arm spinning all-rounder Sharafuddin Ashraf, and left-arm pacer Fareed Ahmad have been included in the squad.
While in the ODI setup, Fareed Ahmad Malik makes his comeback and fast bowler Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi receives his maiden call-up for the ODI team.
The tour will also include three ODIs beginning on March 20, providing valuable preparation with next year’s ICC Men's Cricket World Cup on the horizon.
Loading comments…