Rashid Khan out of first Test against Zimbabwe

Afghanistan's star leg-spinner Rashid Khan will not play in the opening Test of the two-match series against Zimbabwe, which begins on December 26 at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo. Rashid is unavailable due to personal reasons.  

The 26-year-old, who last played a Test in 2021 against Zimbabwe, was initially included in Afghanistan’s 18-member squad for the series. However, his absence continues his long break from red-ball cricket.  

Rashid’s break from Test cricket began after a back injury, with medical advice recommending he step away from the format. This led to his non-participation in earlier Test matches, including a series against New Zealand.  

Despite doubts about his availability, Rashid was named in the squad for the Zimbabwe series. On December 24, an Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) official confirmed Rashid’s absence, saying, “He is away for a charity event for the first Test, as far as I am aware.”  

Interestingly, Rashid shared a photo on his Facebook page showing him in the Netherlands, the same day the ACB posted pictures of the team training in Bulawayo.  

The second Test of the series will also take place in Bulawayo, starting on January 2, 2025.  
  
Afghanistan’s 18-member squad for the Zimbabwe Tests includes seven uncapped players. Left-arm pacer Bashir Ahmad and all-rounder Ismat Alam earned their spots with impressive performances in domestic cricket.  

Other players in the squad include Azmatullah Omarzai, Fareed Ahmad Malik, Riaz Hassan, and Sediqullah Atal, who were part of Afghanistan’s squad for the rain-affected Test series against New Zealand earlier this year.  

Hamid Hassan will serve as interim head coach for the series, as Jonathan Trott is unavailable due to personal reasons.  

Afghanistan heads into the Test series after a 2-1 victory in the T20I series against Zimbabwe, where they recovered strongly after losing the first match.