Afghanistan T20 World Cup squad includes eight IPL players

The Afghanistan Cricket Board has announced its 15-member squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup, with eight players currently featuring in the Indian Premier League making the cut. The team will be led by star all-rounder Rashid Khan, with Hashmatullah Shahidi, who captained Afghanistan at the 2023 ODI World Cup, notably left out.

Among the players named in the squad are left-handed opener Hazratullah Zazai, Sediqullah Atal, and Mohammad Saleem Safi, who have been named as travelling reserves for the tournament to be held in the USA and the Caribbean from June 2.

The squad includes a mix of experienced players and promising talents, with only four specialist batters in the team. To make up for this, six all-rounders have been included in the squad, including the likes of Mohammad Nabi and Karim Janat.

Afghanistan finds itself in Group C of the 20-team tournament, alongside teams like New Zealand, co-hosts West Indies, Uganda, and Papua New Guinea. They are set to kick off their campaign against Uganda on June 3 at Providence.

With a strong contingent of players currently plying their trade in the IPL, Afghanistan will be looking to make a mark in the T20 World Cup and showcase their talent on the global stage.