KABUL, Afghanistan, CMC – Selectors have opted for experience in two squads chosen to tour West Indies for three One-Day Internationals and Twenty20 Internationals next month.Captain Asghar Stanikzai, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi and Gulbadin Naib, all fixtures in the national side’s set-up in recent years, have been included in both squads for the June 2-14 limited overs series.
“The West Indies is an experienced team and the Afghanistan Cricket Board has done its best to select experienced players for the series,” said chief selector Nawroz Mangal.
Missing, however, is Afghanistan’s leading batsman and opener Mohammad Shahzad who was recently banned by the International Cricket Council after testing positive for the banned substance clenbuterol in January.
In his absence, Stanikzai will shoulder much of the responsibility of the batting. He has been in good form this year with a first class century and a ODI century against Ireland last March.
The ACB also said the squad would spend just over two weeks in India preparing for the West Indies assignment.
“The team will travel to India on May 11 and will have training sessions for 15 days so that they are further prepared for the matches against West Indies,” Mangal confirmed.
The T20I series will be played at Warner Park in St Kitts from June 2-5 with the ODI series set for the Darren Sammy National Stadium in St Lucia from June 9-14. Afghanistan open the series with a one-day tour match in St Kitts.
SQUADS:
ODI – Asghar Stanikzai, Noor Ali Zadran, Javid Ahmadi, Usman Ghani, Rahmat Shah Zarmati, Nasir Jamal, Mohammad Nabi, Samiullah Shenwari, Gulbuddin Naib, Rashid Khan Arman, Shafiqullah Shafaq, Shapoor Zadran, Amira Hamza Hotak, Dawlat Zadran, Afsar Zazai, Farid Malik.
T20I – Asghar Stanikzai, Noor Ali Zadran, Javid Ahmadi, Usman Ghani, Mohammad Nabi, Samiullah Shenwari, Najeeb Zadran, Gulbaddin Naib, Rashid Khan Arman, Shafiqullah Shafaq, Shapoor Zadran, Amira Hamza Hotak, Farid Malik, Dawlat Zadran, Karim Janat.