Wily spinner Rashid Khan will lead a strong 17-man Afghanistan squad in the Twenty20 international series against Pakistan starting in Sharjah this week, selectors announced Tuesday.

The three-match series, the first bilateral between the neighbours, will be played in Sharjah on March 24, 26 and 27.

Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) chief executive Naseeb Khan said the best available players had been chosen.

"Our team has been working hard in training camp and selectors have selected the best available players for the series," he said in a press release.

"I am confident that our team will perform at their best and make our nation proud."

Former captain Mohammad Nabi, who stepped down after the Twenty20 World Cup in November, is also part of the squad.

Dashing opener Hazratullah Zazai and middle-order batter Rahmat Shah have been dropped from the squad.

Left-handed opener Sediqullah Atal has been added, and could make his debut for Afghanistan in the series.

Squad: Rashid Khan (captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Usman Ghani, Sediqullah Atal, Najibullah Zadran, Afsar Zazai, Karim Janat, Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fareed Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq.