Afghanistan is currently on a Zimbabwe tour for the white-ball series, featuring three T20Is and as many ODIs. The Rashid Khan-led Afghanistan cricket team had a remarkable start to the Zimbabwe tour, winning the three-match T20I series by a 2-1 margin.
However, before the three-match ODI series against Zimbabwe, the Afghan side suffered a double blow, as the tourists will be without their key players Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Mujeeb Ur Rahman. On Tuesday, December 17, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) confirmed the news.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Mujeeb Ur Rahman set to miss the ODI series against Zimbabwe
The ACB confirmed that their explosive batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz has been ruled out of the three-match ODI series against Zimbabwe due to a Grade 2B quadriceps injury and a bony hip flexor issue. Mohammad Ishaq has been named as Gurbaz’s replacement in the ODI squad.
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The ACB said in an official statement: “Afghanistan’s batting sensation Rahmanullah Gurbaz has been ruled out of the ODI series due to a Grade 2B quadriceps injury along with a bony hip flexor injury. Mohammad Ishaq has been named as his replacement for the series.”
Adding to Afghanistan’s woes, the star spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman will also not be available for selection for the three-match ODI series against Zimbabwe, starting on Tuesday, at the Harare Sports Club in Harare. The ACB stated that the star spinner was rested for the ODI series.
He will be given a rest from the Zimbabwe series: ACB
After assessing his recovery progress, the Afghan team management has decided not to rush Mujeeb Ur Rahman back into action, allowing him time to fully recover from a quadriceps injury.
The ACB statement further reads: “Additionally, after careful evaluation of Mujeeb Ur Rahman’s recovery process, the team management has decided not to rush him back. He will be given a rest from the #ZIMvAFG ODI series, which begins today in Harare.”
🚨 INJURY UPDATE 🚨
Afghanistan’s batting sensation, @RGurbaz_21, has been ruled out of the ODI series due to a Grade 2B quadriceps injury along with a bony hip flexor injury. Mohammad Ishaq has been named as his replacement for the series.
Additionally, after careful… pic.twitter.com/vBmn16fTJo
— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) December 17, 2024
Notably, the toss should have happened, but the persistent rain in Harare caused the delay in the opening ODI of the three-match ODI series between Zimbabwe and Afghanistan. They have played each other 28 times in ODIs, with Afghanistan winning 18 of those games and Zimbabwe securing 10 wins.
Ben Curran to make debut for Zimbabwe in ODI series
Afghanistan’s ODI squad is strengthened by key players like Hashmatullah Shahidi, Rahmat Shah, Mohammad Nabi, and Allah Ghazanfar. On the other hand, Zimbabwe will be led by Craig Ervine, and they will aim to take revenge on Afghanistan in the ODI series after losing the T20I series.
Ben Curran, who has been making waves recently, will make his debut in the first ODI against the Afghan side in Harare. Curran is a left-handed batter who has so far played 36 List-A games and amassed 999 runs, with the highest score being 125. He has also scored 2582 runs in 46 first-class games.
Here’s Afghanistan’s updated squad for the Zimbabwe ODIs:
Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmat Shah, Sediqullah Atal, Mohammad Ishaq, Darwish Rasooli, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar, Ikram Alikhil, Abdul Malik, Bilal Sami, Naveed Zadran, and Nangeyalia Kharote, and Fareed Ahmad Malik.