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September 8, 2024
Afghanistan has excluded Gulbadin Naib from their 16-man squad for the one-off Test against New Zealand, which starts on September 9. Despite being a key player in white-ball formats, Naib has not played Test cricket for Afghanistan. He was initially included in a 20-man preliminary squad, but was dropped after a training camp in Greater Noida.
Here is the final squad for the Test:
Fast bowler Naveed Zadran will miss the upcoming Test against New Zealand due to a side strain. The physio has recommended 3-4 weeks of rest to help him recover in time for the ODI series against South Africa, starting on September 18 in the UAE.
Yama Arab, a 17-year-old fast bowler, and left-arm pacer Farid Ahmed Malik are also left out of the squad. Afghanistan has chosen Ikram Ali Khil and Afsar Zazai as their wicketkeeping options, despite Rahmanullah Gurbaz having kept wickets in their last Test against Ireland earlier this year. Noor Ali Zadran, who played in that Test, is missing after announcing his international retirement in March.
This Test in Greater Noida will be Afghanistan’s 10th in the format.
Despite this being Afghanistan’s first Test against New Zealand and the considerable difference in experience between the two teams, Rahmat Shah is confident that Afghanistan will provide a strong challenge. Playing in Noida, where they have previously competed in six T20Is and five ODIs, gives the team a sense of familiarity. Rahmat believes this familiarity will help them make the most of their opportunities in Test cricket.
“This Test is important. We have got only one Test match against them,” said Rahmat in a chat with Cricbuzz. “We will try to give them a tough time. They have won the ICC Test Championship and we tried to have the best of preparations and we are looking forward to the challenge that is lying ahead.”
“Our past experience in India will help us. We had our home ground in Noida and in Lucknow, and we have played a lot of matches here and done a lot of camps here. We are also accustomed with the weather and pitch conditions of India, so we certainly have an edge,” he said.
Rahmat Shah, the 31-year-old No. 3 batter for Afghanistan, stands out in a cricket scene dominated by T20s. As the top run-scorer for his team in Tests and ODIs, Rahmat is known for his disciplined approach, avoiding risky shots and prioritizing wicket preservation. He has recently worked on improving his batting technique, specifically his alignment and footwork, to enhance his performance and stability at the crease.
“I just tried to concentrate more and practice more (to make some technical adjustments). Earlier my shoulder used to get open and I tried to make it sideways and tried to straighter my alignment.”
“When the fast bowler used to come I used to move towards off stump a bit more and as a result I used to fall down. I used to play my shot through my wrist but now I am trying to take my feet and just worked hard to get it (the new technique) into my batting template.”
The one-off Test between Afghanistan and New Zealand in Noida begins on September 9.
Katarzyna Nowak is a seasoned writer with over five years of experience in editorial content, news reporting, and cricket sportsbook app reviews. As an author for IPLWin365 (IPL365 News), she combines her deep understanding of the sports betting industry with a passion for cricket, delivering insightful and accurate content that keeps readers informed and engaged.
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