Hashmatullah Shahidi will lead Afghanistan in their maiden ICC Men's Champions Trophy campaign as the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) confirmed the 15-player squad on Sunday.
Afghanistan registered another emphatic victory over South Africa on Friday, beating them by 177 runs in the second one-day international to take an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match series in Sharjah.
"My mom is watching from home," said Afghanistan's Gurbaz, who left the tournament midway through to be with his ailing mother back home and returned for the play-offs.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz left his hospitalised mother's bedside in Afghanistan to play a pivotal role in propelling Kolkata Knight Riders into the final on his first IPL appearance this season.
The night belonged to the 22-year-old Gurbaz, whose first ODI century came on debut against Ireland in Abu Dhabi in 2021.
Rashid Khan, who is still recovering from the lower-back surgery, is not part of the squad. Afghanistan have added additional spin cover in the form of leg-spinner Khalil Gurbaz
In a heartwarming display of sportsmanship, Babar gifted his bat to Gurbaz after Afghanistan secured a historic victory over Pakistan in the ICC Cricket World Cup at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Monday.
Afghanistan pulled off one of the greatest shocks in the history of the tournament when they defeated defending champions England by 69 runs in New Delhi on Sunday. That victory was set up by Gurbaz's 57-ball 80, laced with eight boundaries and four sixes.
Afghanistan's famous upset victory over England at the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup has been soured with news that opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz has been reprimanded for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the match.
Will stylish wicketkeeper-batter Liton Das make his Indian Premier League (IPL) debut tomorrow? Probably, this is what every Bangladeshi cricket fan pondering right now.
