Afghanistan Announces 22-Member Preliminary Squad for T20I Tri-Series and Asia Cup 2025

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has named a 22-player preliminary squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, which will be held in the UAE from September 9 to 26. Rashid Khan will continue to lead the team in the T20 format. The selected players will take part in a two-week training camp in the UAE, they’ll prepare for the tri-series against Pakistan and the UAE as well as the Asia Cup. Many of the players were recently involved in Afghanistan's domestic T20 tournament, the Shpageeza Cricket League.

The tri-series kicks off on August 29 with the final set for September 7. Afghanistan won’t have much downtime, as their first match in the Asia Cup is just two days later on September 9 against Hong Kong in Abu Dhabi. After the training camp, the squad will be trimmed down to 15 players for both the tri-series and the Asia Cup. 

This series is a perfect chance for all three teams to prepare for the Asia Cup. The matches will be held in Sharjah and Afghanistan will play four games plus the final if they qualify. Afghanistan is in Group B for the Asia Cup and their first match is against Hong Kong on September 9. After that, they’ll play Bangladesh on September 16 and Sri Lanka on September 18, all in Abu Dhabi.

Rashid Khan to Lead Afghanistan in Both Tri-Nation Series and Asia Cup 2025

Originally, Pakistan was set to host Afghanistan for a bilateral T20I series in August. However, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) proposed a change, suggesting the series be turned into a tri-nation event. The fixtures have been moved to the UAE to provide all teams with a better preparation window ahead of the Asia Cup.

Rashid Khan, who will lead Afghanistan in the series, will look to guide his team through this valuable preparation phase. Each team will play against the others twice, with every side getting at least four matches before the top two teams advance to the final. The final is scheduled for September 7, adding more excitement and anticipation as the teams gear up for the Asia Cup.

Having reached the final four in the last T20 Asia Cup in 2022, Afghanistan is now aiming for their first-ever final. Known for their dominance in the shortest format, Afghanistan has also proven themselves in the UAE, where the conditions suit their spin-heavy attack. Rashid Khan and his fellow spinners will thrive on the slow pitches bringing them into the game against the best sides. Afghanistan has improved steadily over the years, showing up strongly against top teams in ICC events. This Asia Cup could very well be the moment they capture their biggest title yet.

Afghanistan’s 22-Member Preliminary Squad for 2025 T20I Tri-Series and Asia Cup

Rashid Khan (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sediqullah Atal, Wafiullah Tarakhil, Ibrahim Zadran, Darwish Rasooli, Mohammad Ishaq, Mohammad Nabi, Nangyal Kharoti, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Karim Janat, Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mujeeb Zadran, AM Ghazanfar, Noor Ahmad Lakanwal, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Farid Malik, Saleem Safi, Abdullah Ahmadzai and Bashir Ahmad.

Afghanistan Tri-Nation Series 2025 Schedule

Afghanistan's Group Stage Matches in Asia Cup 2025

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