Sediqullah Atal Earns Maiden ODI Call Against Bangladesh

News Desk

Islamabad: The Afghanistan Cricket Board announced on Tuesday the inclusion of opener Sediqullah Atal in their 19-man squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Bangladesh, set to take place in Sharjah next month.

Atal, 23, who has previously represented Afghanistan in six T20 internationals, earned his first ODI call-up following an impressive run in the Emerging Asia Cup in Oman, where he scored 52, 95*, and 83.

In addition to Atal, left-arm spinner Noor Ahmad has returned to the squad after missing Afghanistan’s 2-1 series victory over South Africa in Sharjah last month. Chief selector Ahmad Shah Sulimankhil hailed Atal as a “future star,” praising his consistent performances.

Meanwhile, opener Naveed Zadran remains sidelined as he recovers from ankle surgery, and spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman is unavailable due to a hand injury.

The three ODIs are scheduled for November 6, 9, and 11 and will serve as preparation for the upcoming Champions Trophy in Pakistan, set to take place from February to March next year.

Afghanistan has been on a strong run in limited-overs cricket, with victories over top teams like England, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka in the 2023 ODI World Cup in India. They also reached the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup, jointly hosted by the US and West Indies in June.

Afghanistan Squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), Rahmat Shah, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ikram Alikhil, Abdul Malik, Riaz Hassan, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, AM Ghazanfar, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Bilal Sami, Naveed Zadran, Farid Ahmad Malik.