Rashid Khan, one of the greatest spinners to ever play the shortest format, was sacked as Afghanistan‘s T20I captain on Thursday, following the team’s group-stage exit from the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. Afghanistan crashed out after losing to New Zealand and South Africa in the group stages. The side managed to win against the UAE and Canada, but it was not enough to qualify for the Super 8s.
Ibrahim Zadran has been named as the new skipper, and he’ll take over the charge from the upcoming series against Sri Lanka. Left-arm fast bowler Fazal Haq Farooqi, all-rounder Gulbadin Naib, and wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Ishaq, who were all part of the squad for the T20 World Cup 2026, have also been left out of the team for the series against Sri Lanka, beginning Friday, March 13.
Rashid led Afghanistan in 48 matches, winning 26 and losing 21. His biggest achievement as the captain came in 2024 when he led Afghanistan to the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup. In the knockout game, the side came up short against South Africa.
The chief selector explained that the decision to move on from Rashid was taken with the transition phase in the T20I setup in mind.
“Rashid Khan’s tenure as the T20I captain brought immense success to the team, particularly highlighted by the team’s remarkable journey in the 2024 edition of the T20 World Cup, where we reached the semi-finals. In alignment with the ACB’s 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,” ACB’s Chief Selector, Ahmad Shah Sulimankhil, said in an official statement.
“Ibrahim Zadran, who has served as Rashid Khan’s deputy, will assume the role as Afghanistan’s 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 closely monitoring situation
The Afghanistan Cricket Board also said it is closely monitoring the ongoing situation in West Asia and that discussions are underway on whether the series can proceed as originally planned, including dates and venues.
“Although a final decision will be made in a couple of days, the ACB’s 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,” the official statement said.
Afghanistan’s 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.
Afghanistan’s 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.
