Rashid Khan to lead spin-heavy Afghanistan in Asia Cup

KABUL (AP) : Rashid Khan will lead a spin-heavy Afghanistan at the next month’s Asia Cup with uncapped mystery spinner AM Ghazanfar also named in the 17-member Twenty20 squad on Sunday.

Khan was named captain and is joined by Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Mohammad Nabi as the other seasoned spinners for the Sept. 9-28 tournament in the United Arab Emirates, where pitches are expected to help slow bowlers at Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Afghanistan hasn’t played a T20 since beating Zimbabwe in December last year. Afghanistan will tune-up for the Asia Cup by playing a triangular series which begins at Sharjah from Aug. 29 and also features UAE and Pakistan.

Ghazanfar hasn’t played a T20 international but has impressed in his brief ODI career, grabbing two five-wicket hauls in 11 games. He’s been playing in a number of T20 leagues around the world — notably the Indian Premier League.

Fazalhaq Farooqi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Naveen Ul Haq and Gulbadin Naib are the four pace bowling options in the Afghanistan squad.

The return of Zadran strengthens its batting line-up with Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Sediqullah Atal providing firepower upfront with Karim Janat and Zadran in the middle-order.

Afghanistan is placed in a tougher Group B along with Bangladesh, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka. India, Pakistan, Oman and UAE are in Group A. Afghanistan will take on Hong Kong in the opening game of the tournament at Abu Dhabi on Sept. 9.

Squad: Rashid Khan (captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Darwish Rasooli, Sediqullah Atal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Karim Janat, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Mohammad Ishaq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, AM Ghazanfar, Noor Ahmad, Fareed Ahmad, Naveen Ul Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi

Reserves: Wafiullah Tarakhil, Nangeyalia Kharote, Abdullah Ahmadzai.