Last Updated on 2 months by Charbel Coorey
Afghanistan 2025 Champions Trophy squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Ikram Alikhil (wk), Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, AM Ghazanfar, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Farid Malik, Naveed Zadran
Afghanistan in ODIs since the 2023 World Cup
- Matches played: 14
- Matches won: 8
- Matches lost: 5
- No result: 1
- W/L ratio: 1.600
- Batting run rate: 5.30
Most runs for Afghanistan in ODIs since the 2023 World Cup:
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz (RHB): 531 runs, AVG: 48.27, SR: 89.69, 100s: 3, 50s: 2
- Azmatullah Omarzai (RHB): 417 runs, AVG: 52.12, SR: 105.56, 100s: 1, 50s: 3
- Mohammad Nabi (RHB): 410 runs, AVG: 41.00, SR: 97.85, 100s: 1, 50s: 1
Most wickets for Afghanistan in ODIs since the 2023 World Cup:
- Allah Ghazanfar (right-arm off-break): 21 wickets, AVG: 13.57, ECO: 4.05
- Azmatullah Omarzai (right-arm pace): 17 wickets, AVG: 20.47, ECO: 4.90
- Rashid Khan (right-arm legspin): 15 wickets, AVG: 12.46, ECO: 3.49
Afghanistan 2025 Champions Trophy Squad SWOT Analysis: Talented team prepares for CT Debut
This will be Afghanistan’s first-ever appearance in the Champions Trophy. “Conditions in Pakistan are similar to those in Afghanistan and the UAE, where we often play. We plan to hold a preparation camp in multiple phases before heading out for the big event. The expectations are high, and I am confident the team will prepare well and deliver excellent performances, just as they did in the last two World Cups [50-over World Cup in 2023 and T20 World Cup in 2024],” said Ahmad Suliman Khil, ACB interim chief selector.
Hashmatullah Shahidi, who captained Afghanistan in the 2023 ODI World Cup and more recently led the team to the semi-finals of the 2024 T20 World Cup, will continue to serve as captain.
Afghanistan’s players will collaborate with former Pakistan batter Younis Khan, who has been appointed as the team’s mentor for the Champions Trophy. This is the third consecutive global tournament where the ACB has selected a mentor from the host nation: Ajay Jadeja was brought in for the 2023 ODI World Cup in India, and Dwayne Bravo served as the bowling consultant for the 2024 T20 World Cup in the West Indies and USA.
“The appointment of mentors has proven to be quite beneficial for us in both of the last two events,” ACB chairman Mirwais Ashraf said. “Given this success, we have appointed Mr. Younis Khan, who has extensive international and local experience, and we look forward to making full use of his expertise during the event.”
Ibrahim Returns, but Top Four Faces Challenges
Ibrahim Zadran, who hasn’t played for Afghanistan since slipping during practice on a slushy patch before the washed-out Greater Noida Test, has regained his fitness and will return to open the batting alongside Gurbaz.
Since the start of the 2023 World Cup, only the Netherlands’ openers have been slower than Afghanistan’s (among teams that participated in the tournament). They have prioritised solidity over explosiveness, as reflected in their average and scoring rate, which isn’t a big concern.
The far bigger issue, however, is their No. 3 (Rahmat Shah) and No. 4 (Hashmatullah Shahidi), both of whom have scored at a strike rate of under 70 in ODIs since the World Cup ended. Rahmat Shah, in particular, is averaging a modest 27.10 in ODIs since the start of 2023. While he is still likely to start, the 23-year-old Sediqullah Atal, who has had a standout few months across formats and was named Player of the Series against Zimbabwe in December, will put pressure on his place in the side.
Gurbaz’s Wicketkeeping Role and Batting Impact
Rahmanullah Gurbaz averages 54 when batting first in ODIs, compared to just 20.95 while chasing. Six of his eight ODI centuries have come while batting first. Few surmise that it’s because he doesn’t fancy batting right after keeping wickets for 50 overs. There may be some truth to this, as he averages 45.35 when playing solely as a batter, compared to 36.58 as a keeper-batter.
Hence, there may be discussions about fielding Ikram Alikhil in the middle order in place of Gulbadin Naib. However, it will be hard to overlook Naib, given his recent form in the ILT20, where he is currently averaging nearly 47.00 and striking at almost 160.
Afghanistan’s Depth Enhanced by Multi-Skilled Players
One of their key strengths is the depth they possess in both departments, thanks to several multi-skilled players in the lineup. From No. 5 to No. 8, every player is capable of contributing with both bat and ball, which is an immense luxury. Azmatullah Omarzai, in fact, won the ODI Player of the Year award in 2024 and has been in outstanding form in this format. Veteran Nabi has also been contributing with fine performances in the lower order.
Overall, Afghanistan have made significant progress as a batting unit, with their dot-ball percentages and balls-per-boundary figures decreasing in recent years.
However, one point to note is that Afghanistan’s batting lineup is predominantly right-handed, with Shahidi – who isn’t exactly the most destructive against spin – being the only lefty, making them vulnerable to left-arm spin and quality legspin.
Afghanistan’s Bowling Arsenal: Spin and Seam Options Galore
Afghanistan’s spin bowling has always been a strength, and it remains so this time, even in Mujeeb’s absence. According to ACB interim chief selector Ahmad Suliman Khil, “Mujeeb Ur Rahman was not available for selection as his doctor has advised him to focus on T20s for a while to ensure a full recovery before returning to ODIs. This was also the reason he missed the recently concluded ODI series against Zimbabwe.”
With Rashid, Ghazanfar, Noor, and Nabi, they have four high-quality spinners, each offering a distinct skill set. And there’s a good chance that all four will play together, choking the opposition with their combined threat. In Fazalhaq Farooqi and Azmatullah Omarzai, Afghanistan also have two excellent new-ball bowlers who can swing the new-ball both ways and take wickets up front. Naib provides a third seam-bowling option, though he won’t be needed much. Should conditions require a proper third seamer, Afghanistan have the likes of Naveed Zadran and Farid Malik on the bench.
Afghanistan Predicted Starting XI for the 2025 Champions Trophy
1. Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 2. Ibrahim Zadran, 3. Rahmat Shah, 4. Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), 5. Azmatullah Omarzai, 6. Mohammad Nabi, 7. Gulbadin Naib, 8. Rashid Khan, 9. Allah Ghazanfar, 10. Noor Ahmad, 11. Fazalhaq Farooqi
Afghanistan SWOT Summary
Strengths:
- Excellent depth in both departments, thanks to multiple multi-skilled players.
- Dynamic and high-quality spin attack.
- Potent new-ball duo capable of providing early breakthroughs.
- Solid opening combination.
- Threatening bowling attack throughout all phases.
Weaknesses:
- Scoring rate of the top four, especially Rahmat and Hashmatullah.
- RHB-dominant batting lineup susceptible to left-arm spin and legspin.
- Gurbaz’s weak second-innings record makes them vulnerable in chases.
Opportunities:
- After back-to-back strong showings in the World Cup, an opportunity to make an impact in their debut Champions Trophy appearance.
- Leverage Younis Khan’s experience and mentorship to gain tactical advantage.
Threats:
- Placed in a tough group, facing strong opposition in every match.
- Often falter in closing out games against top teams despite dominating positions.
Written by Sparsh Telang. Follow on X on @_cricketsparsh
