Rashid to captain spin-heavy squad in Asia Cup

Kabul, Aug 24 (PTI) Rashid Khan was on Sunday named captain of a spin heavy Afghanistan squad for the Asia Cup beginning in the UAE on September 9.

Besides the captain, the other spinners in the squad include Noor Ahmad , Mujeeb Ur Rehman, AM Ghazanfar and veteran all-rounder Mohammed Nabi.

Afghanistan had famously reached the semifinals of the T20 World Cup last year.

From the squad that featured against Zimbabwe, Hazratullah Zazai and Zubaid Akbari have been dropped.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Mohammad Ishaq are the two wicket-keeper batters in the side.

The pace attack includes Naveen-Ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi and Farid Malik.

Afghanistan have been clubbed with Bangladesh, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka in Group B while India, Oman, Pakistan and UAE form Group A.

The Rashid-led side will open its Asia Cup campaign against Hong Kong on September 9.

Squad: Rashid Khan (c),Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Darwish Rasooli, Sediqullah Atal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Karim Janat, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Mohammad Ishaq, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb ur Rahman, AM Ghazanfar, Farid Ahmad Malik, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen ul Haq.

Reserve players: Wafiullah Tarakhil, Nangeyalia Kharote, Abdullah Ahmadzai. PTI BS APA APA