Rashid Khan has been removed as Afghanistanâs T20I captain following the teamâs group-stage exit from the T20 World Cup held in India and Sri Lanka. The decision was announced on Thursday by the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB). Afghanistan failed to qualify for the Super 8s after losing to New Zealand and South Africa in the group stage. Although they managed to win matches against the UAE and Canada, the results were not enough to keep them in the tournament.
Ibrahim Zadran has now been appointed as the new T20I captain and will lead the side from the upcoming series against Sri Lanka.
Several players who were part of the T20 World Cup squad have been dropped for the Sri Lanka series starting on Friday, March 13. Left-arm fast bowler Fazal Haq Farooqi, all-rounder Gulbadin Naib and wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Ishaq have been left out of the squad.
Rashid Khanâs captaincy tenure
Rashid Khan led Afghanistan in 48 T20I matches, winning 26 and losing 21. One of his biggest achievements as captain came in 2024 when he guided Afghanistan to the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup. However, the team lost to South Africa in the knockout match.
Explaining the decision, ACB Chief Selector Ahmad Shah Sulimankhil said the change was made as part of a transition in the T20I setup.
Also Read | India edge past England in 7-run thriller to reach T20 World Cup final
âRashid Khanâs tenure as the T20I captain brought immense success to the team, particularly highlighted by the teamâs remarkable journey in the 2024 edition of the T20 World Cup, where we reached the semi-finals. In alignment with the ACBâs 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,â ACBâs Chief Selector, Ahmad Shah Sulimankhil, said in an official statement.
âIbrahim Zadran, who has served as Rashid Khanâs deputy, will assume the role of Afghanistanâs regular captain in this format. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Rashid Khan for his valuable contributions and wish Ibrahim Zadran every success in this important new role. In addition, our long-term goal is to adequately prepare the team for the upcoming two World Cup events. We are hopeful that, under this new leadership, the National Team will not only flourish but also showcase outstanding performances and build a strong and competitive bench strength for the crucial challenges that lie ahead," he added.
ACB monitoring West Asia situation
The Afghanistan Cricket Board also said it is closely monitoring the situation in West Asia, and discussions are ongoing regarding whether the upcoming series can take place as planned.
âAlthough a final decision will be made in a couple of days, the ACBâs initial approach, in coordination with the ECB and venue authorities, is to proceed with the originally scheduled dates. Should circumstances necessitate a change, the ACB will consider exploring alternative options for both the host country and the event schedule,â the official statement said.
Also Read | BCCI may increase ODI matches ahead of 2027 World Cup, boost for Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma
The squads for the upcoming series were also announced, with Ibrahim Zadran leading the T20I team while Hashmatullah Shahidi will captain the ODI side.
Afghanistanâs T20I Squad: Ibrahim Zadran (C), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Noor Rahman (WK), 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.
Reserves: Nangyal Kharoti, Bilal Sami and Ijaz Ahmadzai.
Afghanistanâs ODI Squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Rahmat Shah (VC), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Ikram Alikhil (WK), 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.
Reserves: Qais Ahmad, Mohammad Saleem Safi and Bashir Ahmad.
