Fast bowler Naveen-ul-Haq has been selected for Afghanistan in one-day squad for the upcoming World Cup in India. This marks his return to the ODI format after more than two years, as he last played in January 2021 against Ireland in Abu Dhabi. Although he has been a regular player in Twenty20 Internationals, his inclusion in the ODI squad is a good move because he has experienced of playing in IPL.
Alongside Naveen-ul-Haq, Afghanistan’s pace attack for the World Cup will also feature Fazalhaq Farooqi, Abdul Rahman, and all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai. The 23-year-old’s return to the Afghanistan ODI squad is expected to bolster their bowling attack and increase their chances of success in the tournament.
Afghanistan’s all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai has regained his spot in the 15-member squad for the upcoming World Cup after missing the ongoing Asia Cup due to a side strain. The team, announced on Wednesday, will be led by Rashid Khan, who will spearhead a spin attack that includes Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and Noor Ahmad.
Gulbadin Naib, who captained the team during their disappointing performance in the 2019 World Cup, has been named as one of the three reserve players. Afghanistan’s World Cup campaign will begin on October 7th against Bangladesh in Dharamsala.
With the inclusion of Omarzai and the experience of Naib, Afghanistan’s squad looks well-balanced and ready to compete against the best teams in the world. The spin attack, led by Rashid Khan, will be a key factor in their success, and the team will be hoping to make a mark in the tournament.
Afghanistan Journey in the Asia Cup 2023
Despite playing competitive cricket, Afghanistan couldn’t get going in the tournament. A few individual performances were specially a thing of improvement for the side. However, they lacked consistentcy and solid planning which didn’t allow them to make any substantial progress in the tournament.
Naveen-ul-Haq missed the entire Asia Cup 2023. Afghanistan’s strength lies in their diverse bowling options, they have got some really good spin and pacers who can mix up things pretty well. Talking about the other aspect which is batting, there seems a bit of absence of game changers in the middle order.
At the top, Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmanullah Gurbaz have done a good job but for a big tournament, Afghanistan will need more depth. Throughout Asia Cup, their middle order has been ineffective and unprepared.
Afghanistan Squad for ODI World Cup 2023
Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rahmat Shah, Riaz Hassan, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhil, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Abdul Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-Ul-Haq
