Allah Ghazanfar rewarded, added to Afghan squad for Zimbabwe Tests

Afghanistan rewarded youngster Allah Ghazanfar with a maiden Test call-up after an impressive display in the ODI leg of the team’s Zimbabwe tour.

Ghazanfar, who picked up nine wickets in the three ODIs, one of which was given up at the end, was added to Afghanistan’s Test squad on December 25 (Wednesday), while the first Test of the series begins on Boxing Day, December 26.

“AM Ghazanfar has been added to Afghanistan’s squad for the two-match Test series against Zimbabwe, the first of which is scheduled to begin tomorrow in Bulawayo,” the Afghanistan Cricket Board’s official X-handle wrote.

The Afghanistan squad for the Test series was announced a week before December 16 and the 18-year-old off-spinner was not even part of the reserved list for that team. His five-wicket haul in the third ODI and three and two wickets in the second and first matches hastened his transition from white to red-ball cricket.

Zimbabwe also made a change to the squad. Pacer Takudzwa Chataira suffered a right side strain during training and Victor Nyauchi was called in to replace him.

Zimbabwe Test Team

Craig Ervine (captain), Ben Curran, Brian Bennett, Johnathan Campbell, Joylord Gumbie, Trevor Gwandu, Takudzwanashe Kaitano, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Brandon Mavuta, Nyasha Mayavo, Blessing Muzarabani, Dion Myers, Richard Ngarava, Newman Nyamhuri,, Victor Nyauza, , Sean Williams

Afghanistan Test Squad

Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmat Shah (vc), Ikram Alikhail (wk), Afsar Zazai (wk), Riaz Hassan, Sediqullah Atal, Abdul Malik, Baheer Shah Mahboob, Ismat Alam, Azmatullah Omarzai, Zahir Khan, Zia Ur Rehman Akbar , Zahir Shehzad, Rashid Khan, Yamin Ahmadzai, Bashir Ahmad Afghan, Naveed Zadran, Fareed Ahmad Malik.

Addition: AM Ghazanfar

Reserves: Nasir Jamal, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi, Ibrahim Abdulrahimzai