Afghanistan have made a notable addition to their squad ahead of the three-match ODI series against India, which gets underway on June 13 in Dharamsala. The visitors have opted to bolster their pace-bowling resources after one of their young fast bowlers caught the eye with an impressive display during the recently concluded one-off Test in New Chandigarh.
The move comes as Afghanistan continue preparations for a challenging ODI assignment against a strong Indian side. The series will be played across Dharamsala, Lucknow and Chennai, with the visitors hoping to bounce back after a difficult outing in the red-ball contest.
Pace bowler rewarded with ODI call-up after standout display in one-off Test
The player rewarded for his performances is fast bowler Mohammad Saleem, who has been added to Afghanistan’s ODI squad following an outstanding effort against India in the one-off Test. Saleem was initially selected only for the Test match, but his six-wicket haul against a powerful Indian batting lineup convinced the team management to extend his stay with the national side. Despite Afghanistan suffering a heavy defeat, the 23-year-old emerged as one of the visitors’ standout performers.
The right-arm pacer consistently bowled at speeds close to 140 km/h and showed impressive stamina while operating in demanding conditions. He extracted bounce from an otherwise unresponsive surface and frequently troubled Indian batters with his aggressive approach. Afghanistan head coach Richard Pybus was full of praise for the young seamer following the Test.
“He was just fantastic. If you come here and take six wickets in extreme heat against a high-quality batting line-up, that reflects very well not just on him as a bowler, but on us as a side,” Pybus said.
Saleem was among the first bowlers to train during Afghanistan’s recent practice session in Mohali and was seen troubling batters with his pace and sharp short-pitched deliveries.
Rashid Khan set to join squad ahead of ODI opener
While Saleem joined the squad preparations, Afghanistan were without two of their senior stars during the team’s latest training session in Mohali. Premier leg-spinner Rashid Khan, who missed the one-off Test, is expected to link up with the squad directly in Dharamsala before the first ODI. Veteran all-rounder Mohammad Nabi was also absent from practice due to illness, although he remains part of the squad.
Afghanistan will be hoping the return of Rashid and the addition of Saleem provide the perfect balance as they prepare to face India in challenging conditions. The visitors possess a strong squad featuring experienced names such as Hashmatullah Shahidi, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Azmatullah Omarzai and Rashid, and will be aiming to make a strong statement in the 50-over series.
Afghanistan ODI squad for India series: Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Rahmat Shah, Ikram Alikhil, Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharotai, AM Ghazanfar, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi, Fareed Malik, Bilal Sami, Mohammad Saleem
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