ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2023: Afghanistan recall Naveen-ul-Haq to the squad

Afghanistan recalled fast bowler Naveen-ul-Haq in the 15-man World Cup squad announced on Wednesday, but allrounder Gulbadin Naib was dropped despite recent good performances.

Naib, 32, led Afghanistan in the last World Cup held in England four years ago where the team lost all nine matches and he was sacked.

But the medium pacer took seven wickets in the last three ODIs, including 4-60 against Bangladesh in the Asia Cup encounter in Lahore last week.

Naveen played the last of his seven ODIs against Ireland in January 2021.

“Naveen-ul-Haq returned to the Afghanistan ODI squad after a two-year gap for the World Cup in India and it is a strong squad,” said the Afghanistan Cricket Board in a press release.

Hashmatullah Shahidi leads the squad that has four changes following two losses in the Asia Cup and a 0-3 series wipe out against Pakistan in Sri Lanka.

Besides Naib, the other players missing out are Karim Janat, Sharafuddin Ashraf and Suliman Safi.

Afghanistan open their 2023 World Cup campaign against Bangladesh in Dharamsala on October 7.

Their spin quartet of Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Noor Ahmad do well on the spin pitches of India.

Afghanistan squad for the 2023 ICC Men’s World Cup

Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hassan, Rahmat Shah, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad...

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