Afghanistan announce their 2019 World Cup squad

[MenInG]

Afghanistan Cricket Board Selection Committee announced Afghanistan’s squad for the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup 2019.

The final squad was shortlisted from the 23-member contingent that took part in the training camp held in Potchefstroom, South Africa. As per the selection committee, the squad was selected considering the fitness and performance over the last six months.

The squad is as follows:

Gulbadin Naib (C), Mohammad Shahzad (wk), Noor Ali Zadran, Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmat Shah, Asghar Afghan, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Najibullah Zadran, Samiullah Shinwari, Mohammad Nabi, CRashid Khan, Dawlat Zadran, Aftab Alam, Hamid Hassan and Mujeeb ur Rahman.

The committee also announced that three players, namely: Ikram Alikhil, Karim Janat and Sayed Shirzad are considered as reserve players.

Chief Selector, Dawlat Khan Ahmadzai commented, “It is has been a six-month preparation process for the ICC Cricket World Cup. The mission is to play inspirational cricket in the tournament; I know there are strong teams but we will do our level best to achieve our goals.”

Ahmadzai added,” As chief selector, It is my duty to select a competitive team. However, there were some challenges that we needed to handle. We selected the best squad considering factors such as experience, fitness, team balance, current form and conditions.”

“We hope to play great cricket without any fear and with a fighting spirit in the tournament” said the Chief selector.

Remarking on veteran Pacer Hamid Hassan’s inclusion in the squad, Ahmadzai added, “Luckily for us, the come-back of senior Fast bowler Hamid Hassan is a good news. However, we will take into account his form and fitness during upcoming practice matches. “

Ahmadzai further added that since the World Cup will be played with league system, every team will play nine matches. Taking this into account, the young wicketkeeper batsman Ikram Alikhil has also been placed in the reserve list.

“The final decision has been made based on many facts and considerations. I would like to thank all those who continue to support our national heroes.” The Chief selector concluded.

Afghanistan will commence its ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 campaign against Australia on 1st June.

https://cricket.af/acb-news-info/975

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Hmm. No Wafadar?

 

[Sher Khan]

Very strong squad. I think afg have selected their best squad, especially with hamid hassan back. Excellent bowler. Also zazai the big hitting teenager looking forward to see him loight up the wc.

 

[Major]

VERY VERY VERY Strong team.

Afghanistan is playing its best guys looks like.

Bringing back Hamid Hassan and Noor Ali Zadran is a great decision. Then on top of that they have now made a strong middle order which consist of Asghar, Rehmat Shah and Hashmatullah

THey are going with 2 front line spinners which is great and needed. Rest of the world is playing fast bowlers, but these guys have made a good decision to take their 2 spinners as they are better spinners then any others playing currently.

Great decision to drop Shapoor Zadran. Very Expensive bowler.

Mistakes

1. Gulbadin being given the captiancy

2. They are taking only 3 fast bowlers. Gulbadin isn't even a fast bowler in my opinion as he doesnt bowl a full qouta of overs.

3. Najibullah's selection. In my opinion the guy is useless, i havent seen him won any matches. He plays at no.6 and i have seen him do anything at that position. Probably the most useless member of the team.

4. Samiullah Shinwari's selection could be problematic. I think hes a decent spinner and a decent batsmen. Could strike a few at the end. But looking at the selection of Nabi and 2 other spinners, was he needed?

I am 50-50 on his slection.

Not really a bad selection, its good to keep him as back up.



Overall. A good squad, only bad decision is Najibullah Zadrans selection.

 

[Shafi]

Afghanistan has a very good chance to win against Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and WI. Thanks to our moronic team management to select players like Malik, Asif and Yasir.

 

[Canford Cliffs]

Top team and I expect Afg to win atleast 3 matches in this world cup.

 

[Ronaldo7]

I expect easy wins against Sri Lanka and possibly Ban and could beat Pak and West Indies if they play well.

 

[Arsalan Pro]

Solid squad and just like Bangladesh, it's their best ever for a World Cup.

Playing XI:

Mohammad Shehzad(Wk)
Hazratullah Zazai
Hashmatullah Shahidi
Rahmat Shah
Asghar Afghan
Gulbadin Naib(C)
Mohammad Nabi
Rashid Khan
Dawlat Zadran
Hamid Hasan
Mujeeb Ur Rahman

 

[Major]

Mohammad Shehzad
Noor Ali Zadran
Rehmat Shah
Asghar Afghan
Hashmatullah
Gulbadin
Nabi/Hazratullah
Rashid
Dawlaz Zadran
Hamid Hasan
Mujeeb

 

[GudduBadmash]

VERY VERY VERY Strong team.

Afghanistan is playing its best guys looks like.

Bringing back Hamid Hassan and Noor Ali Zadran is a great decision. Then on top of that they have now made a strong middle order which consist of Asghar, Rehmat Shah and Hashmatullah

THey are going with 2 front line spinners which is great and needed. Rest of the world is playing fast bowlers, but these guys have made a good decision to take their 2 spinners as they are better spinners then any others playing currently.

Great decision to drop Shapoor Zadran. Very Expensive bowler.

Mistakes

1. Gulbadin being given the captiancy

2. They are taking only 3 fast bowlers. Gulbadin isn't even a fast bowler in my opinion as he doesnt bowl a full qouta of overs.

3. Najibullah's selection. In my opinion the guy is useless, i havent seen him won any matches. He plays at no.6 and i have seen him do anything at that position. Probably the most useless member of the team.

4. Samiullah Shinwari's selection could be problematic. I think hes a decent spinner and a decent batsmen. Could strike a few at the end. But looking at the selection of Nabi and 2 other spinners, was he needed?

I am 50-50 on his slection.

Not really a bad selection, its good to keep him as back up.



Overall. A good squad, only bad decision is Najibullah Zadrans selection.

Najiubulah Zadran has won plenty of games for them


Worst selection is Aftab Alam and no Usman Ghani.

 

[GudduBadmash]

Mohammad Shahzad
Hazratullah Zazai
Rehmat Shah
Hashmatullah Shahidi
Mohammad Nabi
Gulbadin Naib
Najibullah Zadran
Rashid Khan
Hamid Hasan
Dawlat Zadran
Mujeeb Ur Rehman

 

[MMHS]

Very good squad, only that they shouldn't have changed Captain so close to WC. I think, no team will enjoy a walk against AFGs in WC, as their bowling is better strength, the contest won’t be over after half way through of a game.

 

[GudduBadmash]

@<a href="http://www.pakpassion.net/ppforum/member.php?u=135038" target="_blank">Major</a>

Two examples but there are many, he is basically their Imran Nazir, natural hitting ability, same frame, good fielder. Bats too low down in my opinion, I would try opening with him in the shorter formats

 

[GudduBadmash]

Raw hitting ability

 

[hadi123]

Good squad. Hamid Hassan there, when you recall the start of the period where Afghanistan started to improve, he was probably their most well-known player, now obviously the likes of Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi are well known. Afghanistan are more than capable of beating any team in the WC. I would make them favourites against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka tbh.

 

[aloo paratha]

Ayy Hamid Hassan is back! Afghanistan will actually have a pretty good all round bowling attack. Rashid and Mujeeb are among some of the best spinners in the world. Dawlat and Hamid Hassan have been very good in the past, although they are getting pretty old now, hopefully they still have it in them.

 

[ExplicitAI]

Hope India and Pakistan rip this team apart black and blue.

 

[The_Odd_One]

Rashid Khan is the bowler to watch in this world cup. He has the ability to be among the top 3 wicket takers in this world cup.

 

[Ronaldo7]

Hope India and Pakistan rip this team apart black and blue.

Same. They're starting to become very arrogant. Need a reality check quick.

 

[Major]

@<a href="http://www.pakpassion.net/ppforum/member.php?u=135038" target="_blank">Major</a>

Two examples but there are many, he is basically their Imran Nazir, natural hitting ability, same frame, good fielder. Bats too low down in my opinion, I would try opening with him in the shorter formats

doesn't matter.

I can show you videos of Umar Akmal aswell where he batted well.

Point is, Najibullah has failed alot, and performs well rarely. Rest of the time he is a walking wicket.

 

[Major]

Same. They're starting to become very arrogant. Need a reality check quick.

how are they arrogant?

So you want Afghanistan to say that we are not a good team and hope to lose to Pakistan?

 

[ExplicitAI]

Same. They're starting to become very arrogant. Need a reality check quick.

By far the most arrogant bunch I've ever seen, it made my day when India thumped these lot in 2 days of Test cricket and also when the Punjabi batsmen (Pak) started smashing them for sixes.

 

[Ronaldo7]

how are they arrogant?

So you want Afghanistan to say that we are not a good team and hope to lose to Pakistan?

It's obvious. Look at some of their interviews. They're very arrogant

 

[MenInG]

Gulbadin Naib, the new Afghanistan one-day international captain, is upbeat about his team's chances in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2019.

Afghanistan are set to feature in only their second ever Cricket World Cup, sealing their place through the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe last year, which they won. They trained for the main event at a camp in South Africa and have high expectations of causing a few upsets in the tournament.

However, they got a jolt when the selectors decided to go with split captaincy and named a new leadership team. Naib took over from Asghar Afghan, even as senior members of the squad went public with their concerns of how the last-minute change could affect the team's spirits.

Naib, though, dismissed these concerns. The change, he said, was "no big deal" and hailed the experience of his team-mates.

“When I look at my team, we prepared very well the last couple of months,” he told AFP in Kabul on Monday, 29 April, ahead of the team’s departure for the World Cup. "The guys have a [high] morale, everyone is very excited to be participating in the World Cup.”

Naib was particularly pleased with the camp in South Africa, expecting the bouncy wickets they played on to be similar to what they might get in England and Wales.

The team is placed No.10 on the MRF Tyres ICC ODI Team Rankings chart, but he wasn't ruling out their chance to surprise a few teams. In the Asia Cup, they beat Sri Lanka, took Pakistan close and forced a tie against India. Asked if he thought his team could go all the way, Naib said: “I hope so. It’s cricket ... anything can happen.”

Afghanistan open their World Cup campaign against Australia in Bristol on 1 June.

https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/1204419

 

[giri26]

‘We’re aiming for the semifinals’ – Afghanistan state World Cup ambitions

The emergence of the likes of Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman has raised Afghanistan’s expectations, with the team aiming to qualify for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 semifinals, Dawlat Khan Ahmadzai, the chief selector, has said.

That, however, doesn’t mean they are over-reliant on the two youngsters. Ahmadzai pointed out there was plenty of experience to go around, and particularly so in the bowling attack, with the return of Hamid Hassan. The 31-year-old pacer last played for Afghanistan in 2016, but has recovered from injuries to take his place in the side again.

Afghanistan are ranked No.10 in the MRF Tyres ICC ODI Team Rankings, but they have a habit of upsetting established teams: they won the World Cup Qualifier tournament last year against West Indies, knocked Sri Lanka out of the Asia Cup and tied with India. Ahmadzai is banking on that.

"There was no Rashid or Mujeeb in 2015 [Afghanistan finished sixth in a seven-team pool] so this time we are aiming for a semifinal berth. With the team composition we have, we can definitely surprise a few teams," Ahmadzai was quoted as saying by PTI.

“Hamid Hassan is back into the fast bowling attack and that is a big boost. He has been a great fast bowler for Afghanistan and will lead the pace attack alongside Dawlat Zadran.”

In April, Afghanistan surprised many with their decision to change captains so close to the World Cup. Asghar Afghan, who led the side to their maiden Test victory, was axed a month later, with the selectors deciding to implement a split captaincy system.

Gulbadin Naib was named as skipper for their World Cup campaign, with Rahmat Shah and Rashid appointed Test and T20I captains. Despite the timing of the sweeping changes – the likes of Rashid and Mohammad Nabi took to social media to express concerns – Ahmadzai said all feedback was “handled professionally” and there was nothing to worry about.

“The team members, including Rashid and Nabi, are now happy for Gulbadin,” said Ahmadzai. “He is not a new man. He has been playing for 17 years, and has captaincy experience at the first-class and under-19 level.

“Asghar himself has said that Gulbadin is like his younger brother who believes that Asghar's experience will come in handy in the World Cup. They are a united front now. Changes happen.”

Ahmadzai also said he was happy with the team’s preparations for the World Cup. Afghanistan are set to play ODIs against Scotland and Ireland ahead of their tournament opener against Australia on 1 June.

https://www.cricketworldcup.com/news/1212394

 

[MenInG]

Hamid Hassan, the 31-year-old Afghanistan pace bowler, has announced he intends to retire from one-day internationals after the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019.

Hassan made a stunning comeback to the Afghanistan 15-man squad for the tournament, having last played an ODI in 2016. Recurring injuries had kept him out of the side, but the Afghanistan selectors surprised many with his inclusion in the World Cup squad.

In 2015, Hassan took eight wickets in six matches, and played a crucial hand with the bat as Afghanistan saw off Scotland in a thriller for their maiden World Cup win. He brings plenty of experience to the side on his return, but injuries have taken a toll on him, prompting him to consider retirement.

“Probably this is going to be my last World Cup for my country. I may stop playing ODI cricket after this tournament,” he said in an interview to the Afghanistan Cricket Board. “However, I would continue playing T20 cricket, either for Afghanistan or in the Shpageeza League (domestic T20 league) or the leagues abroad.

“As a player who has dedicated all his life to cricket, the decision to quit is always a tough one. However, after a lot of thought, I felt after the injuries and the recovery process I went through, it is time to consider my health seriously.

“If I continue playing further ODI cricket, it may harm my knee. However, if I play four-day cricket, it’ll help me extend my cricket career, enabling me to participate in T20s for Afghanistan.”

After the injuries and the recovery process I went through, it is time to consider my health seriously.
Hamid Hassan, Afghanistan paceman

For now though, he is mighty pleased about his fine achievement in getting picked for the World Cup, especially after the hard work that has gone into regaining fitness. “It’s a joyous moment for me to return to the national side after three years, and getting the opportunity to participate in this tournament, which is a dream for any cricket player,” said Hassan. “But I’d also like to tell the fans that I have proven my fitness to earn my place.

“I worked hard for the last six months in various fitness and training camps. I hope I will be able to perform well in the upcoming World Cup and pay back [for the faith]. It was a long gap, and I think there would be very few players who would have returned for a tournament like the World Cup after such a gap.”

The motivation to bid adieu on a high, however, has played a part in Hassan’s decision. “It’s not that I cannot continue to play cricket. However, when a player goes through injury and recovery process, there are further chances of getting injured again,” he said.

“Every player has to retire one day. There are players in the national team who are senior and are of the same age as me. I think it is better to bid farewell when you’re performing well, and have a good name, before it becomes a burden for the national team.”

Afghanistan open their World Cup campaign against Australia on 1 June – Hassan’s 32nd birthday.



https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/1212508