Afghanistan have named their squads for a packed international programme against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, with Rahmat Shah set to lead the Test side for the first time and several players returning to the red-ball squad after strong domestic performances.
The programme begins with a one-off Test against Bangladesh at Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi from October 9 to 13 and runs through to Afghanistan’s second Test against Zimbabwe, scheduled to finish on November 17.
Rahmat, recently appointed Afghanistan’s full-time Test and ODI captain, will take charge of the Test side for the first time against Bangladesh. Ikram Alikhil has been named his deputy and will also serve as one of the wicketkeepers alongside Afsar Zazai.
The Test squad includes the returning Ismat Alam, Shahidullah Kamal, Yamin Ahmadzai and Zia-ur-Rehman Akbar.
Shahidullah has forced his way back into the squad after an impressive Ahmad Shah Abdali First-Class campaign, scoring 538 runs at an average of 76.85 to lead the competition’s run-scoring chart at the time of selection.
Yamin has also been rewarded for his domestic form. The fast bowler has taken 42 wickets at an average of 12.73, putting him at the top of the competition’s wicket-taking list.
Zia-ur-Rehman returns after spending close to a year away from international cricket because of injury, while leg-spinner Khalil Gurbaz has also been recalled.
Two of Afghanistan’s biggest names will not feature in the Tests. The Afghanistan Cricket Board said Rashid Khan and Ibrahim Zadran are not yet fully ready for red-ball cricket following medical assessments and have been advised not to play Tests until they have fully recovered.
Both, however, have been included in Afghanistan’s white-ball plans.
Rahmat will also captain the ODI side in a tri-series involving Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe from October 17 to 23. Rahmanullah Gurbaz has been named vice-captain and wicketkeeper.
The opening two matches of the tri-series will be played at Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi, with the final two fixtures, including the October 23 final, moving to Sharjah.
Afghanistan enter the ODI competition with an eye on the longer road towards the 2027 Cricket World Cup. The ACB has identified the tri-series as an important part of the national side’s preparations for that tournament.
Attention will then switch to T20 cricket against Zimbabwe, with Ibrahim Zadran appointed captain for the three-match series in Sharjah on October 27, October 29 and November 1.
Mohammad Akram, who recently made his T20 international debut during the 2026 Asian Games, has been selected for the Zimbabwe series. Young all-rounder Abdullah Tarakhil has also been included after impressing in the 11th Shpageeza Cricket League.
Ijaz Ahmadzai and Shahidullah Kamal return to the T20I squad, while Fareed Ahmad Malik has been brought back after being among the reserves for Afghanistan’s previous T20I series against India.
Following the T20Is, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe will meet in two Tests in Sharjah. The first runs from November 5 to 9 and the second from November 13 to 17.
The Bangladesh Test will mark the start of a demanding stretch across all three formats, giving Afghanistan a combination of immediate international competition and opportunities to assess players who have earned their way back through domestic cricket.
TEST SQUAD:
Rahmat Shah Zarmati (captain), Ikram Alikhil (vice-captain/wicketkeeper), Afsar Zazai (wicketkeeper), Sediqullah Atal, Abdul Malik, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Rahmanullah Zadran, Shahidullah Kamal, Ismat Alam, Qais Ahmad, Zia-ur-Rehman Akbar, Khalil Gurbaz, Mohammad Saleem Safi, Zia-ur-Rehman Sharifi, Yamin Ahmadzai.
Reserves: Bahir Shah Mahboob, Nasir Khan Maroofkhil, Bilal Sami, Bashir Ahmad.
ODI TRI-SERIES SQUAD:
Rahmat Shah Zarmati (captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (vice-captain/wicketkeeper), Ikram Alikhil (wicketkeeper), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangeyalia Khan, Ghazanfar, Bilal Sami, Zia-ur-Rehman Sharifi, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Yamin Khan Ahmadzai.
Reserve: Qais Ahmad.
T20I SQUAD VS ZIMBABWE:
Ibrahim Zadran (captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wicketkeeper), Noorulrahman (wicketkeeper), Sediqullah Atal, Ijaz Ahmadzai, Mohammad Akram, Shahidullah Kamal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Abdullah Tarakhil, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Abdullah Ahmadzai, Fareed Ahmad Malik.
Reserves: Fareedun Dawoodzai, Qais Ahmad, Nangeyalia Khan.
SCHEDULE:
October 9–13 — Afghanistan vs Bangladesh, one-off Test — Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
October 17 — Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe, ODI tri-series
October 19 — Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe, ODI tri-series
October 21 — Afghanistan vs Bangladesh, ODI tri-series
October 23 — ODI tri-series final
October 27 — Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe, 1st T20I — Sharjah
October 29 — Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe, 2nd T20I — Sharjah
November 1 — Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe, 3rd T20I — Sharjah
November 5–9 — Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe, 1st Test — Sharjah
November 13–17 — Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe, 2nd Test — Sharjah
