Rashid Khan likely to miss Boxing Day Test against Zimbabwe
What's the story
The Afghanistan cricket team has received a major blow as their star all-rounder Rashid Khan is unlikely to play the first Test against Zimbabwe. The match, which is scheduled to be held on December 26, will be played without the dynamic presence of the key player. As per Cricbuzz, Rashid's absence from the game is due to personal commitments as he is attending a charity event.
Historic match
Zimbabwe to host historic Boxing Day Test
The upcoming Boxing Day Test is historic as Zimbabwe will host Afghanistan in Bulawayo for the first time in Test cricket. The two-match series will begin at Queens Sports Club on December 26. Under the captaincy of Craig Ervine, the Zimbabwean team consists of experienced players like Sikandar Raza and Sean Williams and new faces Ben Curran and possibly Tadiwanashe Marumani.
Balanced team
Afghanistan's squad remains strong despite Rashid's absence
Despite Rashid Khan's absence, Afghanistan's team looks pretty strong under the captaincy of Hashmatullah Shahidi. The team is likely to see the inclusion of new faces Sediqullah Atal and Ismat Alam, with the latter having an amazing domestic season. The Afghan side comes in as favorites for this match, but Zimbabwe's rising stars could make it an exciting contest.
Information
Here is Afghanistan's squad
Squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Rahmat Shah (VC), Ikram Alikhail (WK), Afsar Zazai (WK), Riaz Hassan, Sediqullah Atal, Abdul Malik, Baheer Shah Mahboob, Ismat Alam, Azmatullah Omarzai, Zahir Khan, Zia Ur Rehman Akbar, Zahir Shehzad, Rashid Khan, Yamin Ahmadzai, Bashir Ahmad Afghan, Naveed Zadran, and Fareed Ahmad Malik.