RISING STAR NOOR AMONG BETWAY SA20 QUARTET IN AFGHANISTAN’S T20 WORLD CUP SQUAD

Afghanistan have named their 15-player squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 and picked four Betway SA20 players in the process.

The big name among the quartet is MI Cape Town’s Rashid Khan, who will captain Afghanistan during the tournament in the West Indies and United States of America. The 25-year-old leg-spinner missed SA20 Season 2 because of a back injury but has proven his fitness during the ongoing Indian Premier League.

The man who has emerged as his understudy in the national team, Noor Ahmad, showed the full array of his skills for Durban’s Super Giants during Season 2. The 19-year-old left-armer claimed 12 wickets in six matches, including the League’s first five-for in Season 2. This will be his first T20 World Cup.

Noor’s DSG teammate, Naveen-ul-Haq will be one of the pace spearheads in Afghanistan's squad. The 24-year-old picked up eight wickets in SA20 with his skiddy seamers.

At 29, Farid Ahmad Malik is the eldest of Afghanistan’s SA20 legion but also the only one yet to make his bow in the League. The left-arm pace bowler joined Sunrisers Eastern Cape halfway through Season 2 as their Wildcard but also left before the end to fulfil national team commitments.

Afghanistan are in Group C for the T20 World Cup, alongside co-hosts West Indies, experienced New Zealand (who named their squad first), Papua New Guinea and Uganda. Their fixtures will be played in Guyana, Trinidad and Saint Lucia.

AFGHANISTAN'S 2024 T20 WORLD CUP PROVISIONAL SQUAD

Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Ishaq, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat, Rashid Khan (MI Cape Town - captain), Nangyal Kharoti, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad (Durban’s Super Giants), Naveen-ul-Haq (Durban’s Super Giants), Fazalhaq Farooqi, Farid Ahmad Malik (Sunrisers Eastern Cape)

Reserves: Sediq Atal, Hazratullah Zazai, Saleem Safi