(Cricket news) The Afghanistan Cricket board announced a 19-member squad to face India in a 3- match T20 series. Mujeeb Ur Rahman, the Afghan spinner, who has been in the news recently for his altercations with the Afghanistan Cricket Board, has been included in the Afghanistan squad for the series starting on the 11th of January.

Mujeeb, along with Naveen-ul-Haq and Fazalhaq Farooqi refused to sign the ACB’S central contract for 2024. Mujeeb also missed the T20I series that Afghanistan played against the UAE to take part in the Big Bash League. The ACB in return revoked his No Objection Certificate, which brought an abrupt end to his stint in the BBL.

Ibrahim Zadran the right handed batsman will lead the side as Rashid Khan the regular T20 captain for Afghanistan is still recovering from a back surgery. Although Rashid has been added to the 19-member squad to face India but his participation is still uncertain.

This will be an historic feat for Afghanistan’s Cricket as it will be their maiden T20 tour to India. Before this Afghanistan has toured India to play a one-off test in 2018. Afghanistan will surely look to take the most out of this series with a T20 World cup coming up this year.

The series opener will be played in Mohali on the 11th of January. It will be followed by matches in Indore and Bengaluru on January 14 and 17 respectively. India are currently the No.1 ranked team in the T20I format while Afghanistan are placed in the 10th position. With the World Cup coming up this June the series would allow Afghanistan to prepare against a quality side like India.

Afghanistan squad: Ibrahim Zadran (C), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Ikram Alikhil (WK), Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmat Shah, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Karim Janat, Azmaullah Omarzai, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, FazalHaq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad, Naveen Ul Haq, Noor Ahmad, Mohammad Saleem, Qais Ahmad, Gulbadin Naib and Rashid Khan.

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