Afghanistan’s national cricket team left for the United Arab Emirates on Thursday evening to begin preparations for its one-off Test against Bangladesh in Abu Dhabi.
The Afghan squad is scheduled to begin a training camp in the UAE on Friday, giving the players a week to prepare for their first red-ball assignment of October.
The Test will begin on October 9 at Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi and is scheduled to run until October 13.
Rahmat Shah will captain Afghanistan in the match, his first assignment since being appointed the country’s full-time Test and ODI captain.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board confirmed the squad for the Bangladesh Test on Thursday as part of its announcement for a busy international programme in the UAE.
Fast-bowling all-rounder Ismat Alam has returned to the Test squad after missing Afghanistan’s recent Test against India.
The Bangladesh match opens a lengthy home programme for Afghanistan at neutral venues in the UAE.
After the Test, Afghanistan will join Bangladesh and Zimbabwe in an ODI tri-series from October 17 to 23. Afghanistan will then face Zimbabwe in three T20 internationals and two Tests stretching into November.
For now, the focus turns to Abu Dhabi, where Afghanistan will use the coming days to prepare for the five-day contest against Bangladesh.
