Afghanistan name 17-member squad for Asia Cup 2023

All-rounder Karim Janat returns as Afghanistan named a strong 17-member squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2023. The 25-year-old Janat, who has been a key part of the national T20I team, made his ODI debut way back in February 2017 against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports.

But since then, Janat has not played a single ODI, although he has represented Afghanistan in one Test and 49 T20Is. In 42 List A match, Janat has scored 1664 runs at an economy rate of 5.47 with a five-wicket haul to his name.

Apart from that, Janat has also scored 799 runs from 34 innings with five half-centuries and a top score of 68 to show for his efforts.

As far as the Asia Cup is concerned, left-handed batter Hashmatullah Shahidi will lead the Afghans. Keeping in mind the conditions in Sri Lanka and Pakistan, the



Afghans have picked four spinners in the form of Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad and Sharafuddin Ashraf.

The focus will also be on the likes of Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran, who have both been in tremendous form with the bat in hand.

The Afghans will go into the Asia Cup after losing the bilateral ODI series 3-0 to Babar Azam’s Pakistan. Afghanistan’s first match is against Shakib Al Hasan’s Bangladesh on Sunday, September 3 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

Afghanistan’s squad for Asia Cup 2023

Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hassan, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Najibullah Zadran, Rashid Khan, Ikram Ali Khil, Karim Janat, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Noor Ahmad, Abdul Rahman, Mohammad Saleem.