Afghanistan’s star leg-spinner Rashid Khan is set to miss the opening Test of the two-match series against Zimbabwe due to personal reasons.
The 26-year-old, who last played a Test match in 2021 against Zimbabwe, was initially named in the 18-member squad for the series.
Rashid’s absence marks another chapter in his prolonged hiatus from red-ball cricket.
Following a back injury, medical experts advised the all-rounder to step back from Test cricket, leading to his non-participation in the Test series against New Zealand.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) had earlier announced that Rashid would remain unavailable for Test cricket until November, raising doubts about his inclusion in the Zimbabwe series.
Despite these uncertainties, he was named in the squad for the series, set to begin at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on December 26. However, his recent activities have raised questions.
On Tuesday, the 26-year-old shared a photo on his official Facebook page posing in the Netherlands, on the same day the ACB shared images of the team’s preparations in Bulawayo.
Later, an ACB official confirmed that Rashid would not feature in the first Test.
“He is away for a charity event for the first Test, as far as I am aware,” the official revealed.
The second Test of the series is scheduled to take place at the same venue in Bulawayo from January 2, 2025.
On December 16, Afghanistan revealed their 18-member squad for their two-Test series against Zimbabwe.
The squad, led by Hashmatullah Shahidi, includes seven uncapped players.
Among the fresh faces are left-arm pacer Bashir Ahmad and all-rounder Ismat Alam, who earned their places through stellar performances in domestic cricket.
The squad also features Azmatullah Omarzai, Fareed Ahmad Malik, Riaz Hassan and Sediqullah Atal, who were previously selected for a rain-affected Test against New Zealand earlier this year.
Hamid Hassan will serve as interim head coach for the series, with Jonathan Trott unavailable due to personal reasons.
Afghanistan recently secured a 2-1 victory in a T20I series against Zimbabwe, bouncing back after losing the opener.
Afghanistan Squad:
Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Rahmat Shah (VC), Ikram Alikhail (WK), Afsar Zazai (WK), Riaz Hassan, Sediqullah Atal, Abdul Malik, Baheer Shah Mahboob, Ismat Alam, Azmatullah Omarzai, Zahir Khan, Zia Ur Rehman Akbar, Zahir Shehzad, Rashid Khan, Yamin Ahmadzai, Bashir Ahmad Afghan, Naveed Zadran, Fareed Ahmad Malik.
Afghanistan-Zimbabwe Test Series 2024-25:
- 1st Test: December 26–30 | Venue: Bulawayo
- 2nd Test: January 2–6, 2025 | Venue: Bulawayo
- Rashid Khan
