Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi and senior Afghanistan cricketers resume training amid COVID fears

A number of senior cricketers in the Afghanistan cricket team, including Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi, have resumed training even as the coronavirus pandemic still continues to worry people around the world. The players sweated it out at the Kabul Cricket Stadium on Sunday, March 7. The same was confirmed by the Afghanistan Cricket Board.

They will be a part of a month-long training camp, which will mainly focus on improving the players’ skills in batting, bowling and fielding. On Saturday, June 6, the players attended a COVID-19 awareness meeting. There the officials made them aware of the guidelines to be maintained during the training camp.

“This camp will be held under the relevant health guidelines and in close coordination with the ICC, WHO and the ministry of public health of Afghanistan to avoid the spread of COVID-19,” an ACB media release mentioned, reported by India Today.

Afghanistan to play against Day-Night Test Australia in November

Afghanistan last played international cricket in the bilateral series against Ireland in February at Greater Noida. Last year, they had a tough time after finishing at the bottom of the table in the 2019 World Cup and also having their skippers changed as many as three times.

Though they have done well in T20Is, their performances otherwise haven’t been all that great. The changes in the administrative system hasn’t helped their cause either. A few days ago, wicketkeeper batsman Shafiqullah Shafiq was banned for six years after he breached four charges of the anti-corruption code.

Later this year, the Afghans, led by Asghar Afghan, are scheduled to play their maiden Day-Night Test, starting November 21 against Australia at the Perth Stadium. The Afghans have played four Tests, winning two and losing as many, but it will be the first time when they will be playing under the lights with the pink ball.

Here’s the list of players, who attended the camp

Asghar Afghan (C ), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Hazrathullah Zazai, Karim Janat, Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Naveen ul Haq, Shapoor Zadran, Qais Ahmad, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Azmatullah Omerzai, Samiullah Shinwari, Usman Ghani, Mohammad Shahzad, Sayed Shirzad, Darwish Rasooli, Zahir Khan Paktin, Farid Malik, Hamza Hotak and Sharafudin Ashraf.