Ibrahim Zadran captain news has emerged from Afghanistan as the opening batter has been appointed the new T20I skipper ahead of the upcoming white-ball series against Sri Lanka starting March 13.
Zadran replaces Rashid Khan as Afghanistan move into a new phase under newly appointed head coach Richard Pybus following a disappointing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign.
Afghanistan confirmed both their T20I and ODI squads for the tour, which will also include three ODI matches beginning March 20.
Leadership change after World Cup campaign
The leadership shift follows Afghanistan’s early exit from the group stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. The result was a setback after their impressive run in the 2024 edition of the tournament, where they reached the semi-finals.
Afghanistan Cricket Board chief selector Ahmad Shah Sulimankhil explained the decision to hand the captaincy to Zadran while praising Rashid Khan’s tenure.
“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 semifinals,” Sulimankhil said.
“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”.
Squad changes for Sri Lanka tour
Afghanistan have made several changes to the squad that featured at the T20 World Cup.
Left-arm pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi, all-rounder Gulbadin Naib, and wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Ishaq are notable absentees from the T20I squad.
Replacing them are top-order wicketkeeper-batter Noor Rahman, left-arm spinning all-rounder Sharafuddin Ashraf, and left-arm pacer Fareed Ahmad.
ODI squad updates
In the ODI setup, Fareed Ahmad Malik returns to the squad, while fast bowler Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi receives his maiden call-up.
The ODI matches will begin on March 20 as both teams look to build momentum ahead of next year’s ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
Afghanistan T20I squad
Ibrahim Zadran (C), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Noor Rahman, 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, Abdullah Ahmadzai.
Afghanistan ODI squad
Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Rahmat Shah, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ikram Alikhil, Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, AM Ghazanfar, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi, Fareed Ahmad Malik, Bilal Sami.
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Source: https://acb.af/
