Cricket: No place for Gulbadin Naib, Afghanistan call up Zia-ur-Rehman Akbar for ODIs in Zimbabwe

[banglabhai420]

Afghanistan have called up left-arm spinner Zia-ur-Rehman Akbar and dropped senior allrounder Gulbadin Naib for the upcoming three-match ODI series in Zimbabwe, beginning June 4.

For the T20I series to follow, Qais Ahmad and Mujeeb ur Rahman, who have T20 Blast commitments, have been left out. Qais, who is expected to turn out for Kent in the T20 Blast, missed out on selection in both squads, while Mujeeb will link up with Middlesex after his participation in the ODI series. Ihsanullah Janat and Noor Ahmad have replaced the duo in the T20I squad.

Noor, the wristspinner, and right-arm quick Nijat Masood have also been named as reserves for the ODIs.

Zia was the leading wicket-taker at the recent Green Afghanistan One-Day Cup, the domestic 50-over tournament, where he picked up 14 wickets at an average of 12 for Hindukush Strikers.

Former Afghanistan captain Naib, who last played internationally in the third ODI against Bangladesh in late February, has averaged just 13.75 with the bat and picked up only two wickets in the last ten ODIs he's played. He was also dropped from the T20I squad to Bangladesh earlier this year.

Afghanistan are set to fly to Zimbabwe later this week. The ODI series will be part of the World Cup Super League. Afghanistan are currently at No. 5 with seven wins in nine games, while Zimbabwe are in 12th position with three wins in 12 games.

Afghanistan last played a white-ball series against Bangladesh in February-March earlier this year, losing the ODIs 2-1 in ODIs and drawing the T20I series 1-1.

ODI squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), Rahmat Shah (vice-capt), Azmatullah Omarzai, Farid Malik, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Ibrahim Zadran, Ikram Alikhail, Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Najibullah Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rashid Khan, Riaz Hassan, Shahidullah Kamal, Yamin Ahmadzai, Zia ur Rahman Akbar
Travelling reserves: Noor Ahmad, Nijat Masood

T20I squad: Mohammad Nabi (capt), Najibullah Zadran (vice-capt), Afsar Zazai, Azmatullah Omarzai, Darwish Rasooli, Farid Ahmad Malik, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Hazratullah Zazai, Ihsanullah Janat, Karim Janat, Nijat Masoud, Noor Ahmad, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rashid Khan, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Usman Ghani

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