Afghanistan's Predicted XI for Asia Cup 2022

Afghanistan recently named their squad for the Asia Cup 2022 and they did have some surprises by recalling the experienced Samiullah Shinwari into the middle order. Most of the names from the squad for the ongoing five-match T20I series against Ireland have been retained while veteran all-rounder Mohammad Nabi will lead the side.

Afghanistan starts their campaign against Sri Lanka in the group stages on August 27 and will play Bangladesh on the 30th of August. With a lot of firepower in the lineup, Afghanistan is expected to make many inroads in the upcoming tournament as they are yet to hold their hands on the trophy.

Afghanistan made a strong comeback by winning the last two T20Is against Ireland to level the series 2-2 and they look quite formidable in both of the batting and bowling departments. With all those said, let us look at Afghanistan’s predicted playing XI for Asia Cup 2022.

Openers – Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Hazratullah Zazai

Rahmanullah Gurbaz has had a successful start to his international career and he will be the first choice opener for the Asia Cup 2022. The youngster has got the ability to take the game away from the opposition in quick time and can provide blistering starts at the top of the order.

Hazratullah Zazai has been in and out of the side in the last few T20Is for Afghanistan however, he is expected to grab the opening slot in the Asia Cup 2022. The 24-year-old can play a big innings every now and then and does take the aerial route a lot. With brutal power, Zazai could be the X-factor player that Afghanistan needs.

Middle Order – Ibrahim Zadran, Najibullah Zadran, Samiullah Shinwari

Ibrahim Zadran was impressive in the series against Ireland with handy knocks in the middle order and he will be a force to reckon with in the future. The right-hander is likely to slot in at number three and will have stiff competition from the likes of Hasmatullah Shahidi from the bench.

Najibullah Zadran is one of the most destructive T20 batters going around and he has immense experience under his belt. With a strike rate of 143 and an average of 33, Najibullah can clear the ropes at ease and he will have a big role at number four. The left-hander has been in good form in the ongoing Ireland series and scored a 24-ball 50 in the previous T20I to help his side to victory.

Samiullah Shinwari has been added to the squad for the Asia Cup 2022 and he is expected to make the playing XI going with the experience of the veteran batter. The 34-year-old has been in good form in the recently held Shpageeza Cricket League 2022 which led to his selection and he hasn’t played an international game since 2020.

All Rounders – Mohammad Nabi (c), Rashid Khan

Mohammad Nabi is one of the best all rounders going around in limited-overs format and he is equally effective with both bat and ball. The 37-year-old has got a strike rate of 141 in T20Is and is economical with the ball in the powerplays. The skipper will need to step up if Afghanistan needs to put up a good performance in the Asia Cup 2022.

Rashid Khan is by far, the best T20I spinner going around and he can win games single-handedly for his side. He has improved his batting skills considerably and looks a lot more potent towards the final overs with the bat. With 111 wickets in 65 games at an average of 13.8. Rashid has owned the format without a doubt.

Bowlers – Naveen-ul-Haq, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Fareed Ahmed, Fazalhaq Farooqi

Naveen-ul-Haq has been seen as the future of Afghanistan cricket when it comes to fast bowlers and he has all the variations in the book to succeed. The 22-year-old has taken 25 wickets in 17 games at an average of 17.8 in T20Is and he has been good with the new ball in the Ireland T20Is.

Mujeeb ur Rahman hasn’t been as effective as he would be at the start of his international career, but still has ensured that the run flow has been dried up. The mystery spinner brings a lot to the table in terms of variety and he can combine with Rashid to be an excellent spin duo in the Asia Cup 2022.

Fareed Ahmed has been around for a while since his T20I debut in 2016 but hasn’t got enough chances to prove his quality with the ball. However, in the fourth T20I against Ireland, he picked up a three-wicket-haul in a rain-affected game and does look like he has sealed his spot in the playing XI with his left-arm pace.

Fazalhaq Farooqi is another upcoming talent who has been identified by various franchises around the world and the 21-year-old has already made a mark in T20Is. With 12 wickets in 9 T20Is at an economy rate of 6, Farooqi will be a difficult proposition for the opponent batters to handle.