Afghanistan have announced their squads for a busy multi-format home calendar against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, confirming separate Test, ODI and T20I groups for the October-November window. The selections combine experienced core players, multiple recalls, and a few notable omissions, offering a clear picture of how the team is balancing workload, form, and format-specific planning.
Rahmat Shah will lead Afghanistan in both the Test and ODI formats, while Ibrahim Zadran has been named captain of the T20I side. The structure suggests a deliberate split in leadership responsibilities, with selectors keeping the red-ball and 50-over groups anchored around a batter who has become a central figure in the side’s longer-format planning.
Rashid Khan and Ibrahim Zadran have been rested from Test cricket on medical advice, a significant decision given Rashid’s influence across formats. Afghanistan’s management appears to be prioritising availability across the full series schedule rather than forcing continuity in all three formats.
Test squad shows recalls and red-ball depth
Afghanistan’s one-off Test against Bangladesh will be played in Abu Dhabi from October 9 to 13. Rahmat Shah comes into the assignment after leading Afghanistan to a 4-0 ODI series win over Ireland, adding recent captaincy success to the red-ball challenge.
The Test squad includes several returns from domestic and injury-related absences. Ismat Alam is back after missing the Test against India, while Shahidullah Kamal and Yamin Ahmadzai have been recalled after strong performances in the Ahmad Shah Abdali First Class Tournament. Zia Ur Rahman Akbar also returns following an injury layoff, and leg-spinner Khalil Gurbaz has been brought back into the squad.
Afghanistan Test squad
| Player | Role |
|---|
| Rahmat Shah | Captain |
| Ikram Alikhail | Vice-captain, wicketkeeper |
| Afsar Zazai | Wicketkeeper |
| Sediqullah Atal | Batter |
| Abdul Malik | Batter |
| Hashmatullah Shahidi | Batter |
| Rahmanullah Zadran | Batter |
| Shahidullah Kamal | All-round option |
| Ismat Alam | Batter |
| Qais Ahmad | Spinner |
| Zia Ur Rahman Akbar | Bowler |
| Khalil Gurbaz | Spinner |
| Mohammad Saleem Safi | Bowler |
| Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi | Bowler |
| Yamin Ahmadzai | Pacer |
Notably, there is no place for Rashid Khan in the Test squad. That absence points to a workload-first approach, especially with Afghanistan facing a packed sequence across formats.
ODI squad keeps the proven core intact
The ODI squad is more settled, with Rashid Khan, Ibrahim Zadran, Mohammad Nabi and Azmatullah Omarzai all retained for the three-team series against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, which begins on October 17. That continuity indicates the selectors want the strongest possible balance for the 50-over format.
The list includes a mix of top-order stability, all-round depth and pace-spin coverage. Rahmanullah Gurbaz returns as vice-captain and wicketkeeping option, while experienced names such as Hashmatullah Shahidi and Mohammad Nabi remain central to the side’s middle-order structure.
Afghanistan ODI squad
| Player | Role |
|---|
| Rahmat Shah | Captain |
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz | Vice-captain, wicketkeeper |
| Ikram Alikhil | Wicketkeeper |
| Sediqullah Atal | Batter |
| Ibrahim Zadran | Batter |
| Hashmatullah Shahidi | Batter |
| Azmatullah Omarzai | All-rounder |
| Mohammad Nabi | All-rounder |
| Rashid Khan | Spinner |
| Nangyalai Khan | Bowler |
| AM Ghazanfar | Spinner |
| Bilal Sami | Bowler |
| Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi | Bowler |
| Fazal Haq Farooqi | Pacer |
| Yamin Ahmadzai | Pacer |
Qais Ahmad has been named as travelling reserve, adding another spin option if conditions or workload require a change during the tri-series.
T20I squad features fresh names and key exclusions
Ibrahim Zadran will lead the T20I squad against Zimbabwe, with the three-match series scheduled for October 27, 29 and November 1 in Sharjah. The squad includes Mohammad Akram, who gets another chance after making his international debut at the 2026 Asian Games, and Abdullah Tarakhil, whose selection follows notable domestic performances in the Shpageeza Cricket League.
Shahidullah Kamal and Ijaz Ahmadzai are also back in the T20I set-up, while Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Noor Rahman provide wicketkeeping cover. Afghanistan have clearly used the shortest format to test depth and form across their batting and bowling pools.
Afghanistan T20I squad
| Player | Role |
|---|
| Ibrahim Zadran | Captain |
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz | Wicketkeeper |
| Noor Rahman | Wicketkeeper |
| Sediqullah Atal | Batter |
| Mohammad Akram | Batter |
| Shahidullah Kamal | All-round option |
| Ijaz Ahmadzai | Batter |
| Azmatullah Omarzai | All-rounder |
| Abdullah Tarakhil | Batter |
| Rashid Khan | Spinner |
| Noor Ahmad | Spinner |
| Mujeeb Ur Rahman | Spinner |
| Fazal Haq Farooqi | Pacer |
| Abdullah Ahmadzai | Bowler |
| Farid Ahmad Malik | Bowler |
Mohammad Nabi misses out from the T20I squad, while Darwish Rasooli has been omitted from both white-ball teams. In a selection cycle built around workload management and form-based calls, those exclusions underline how competitive Afghanistan’s bench strength has become.
What the selections suggest about Afghanistan’s planning
Overall, the squad composition points to a clear format-by-format strategy. The Test squad leans on domestic form and returning personnel, the ODI team keeps the experienced core intact, and the T20I group gives the selectors room to assess newer options alongside established names.
For Afghanistan, the numbers matter as much as the names: one Test, one ODI tri-series, and three T20Is across two months require flexibility, fitness, and role clarity. With leadership split between Rahmat Shah and Ibrahim Zadran, the team has opted for a structure that can preserve continuity while managing the load on key performers.