NEW DELHI: Sediqullah Atal, a 23-year-old opening batsman, has been included in Afghanistan's 19-member squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Bangladesh, scheduled to take place in Sharjah next month.
Atal's consistent performances in the ongoing Emerging Asia Cup in Oman have earned him his first call-up to the ODI squad, having previously represented Afghanistan in six T20 internationals.
In addition to Atal, the squad also sees the return of left-arm spinner Noor Ahmad, who was absent from Afghanistan's recent 2-1 series victory over South Africa, which also took place in Sharjah last month.
Ahmad Shah Sulimankhil, the chief selector of the Afghanistan Cricket Board, praised Atal as a promising player for the future of Afghan cricket.
"We have included a promising top-order batter in Sediqullah Atal, who has impressed everyone with his consistent top performances," Sulimankhil is quoted in Afghanistan Cricket Board release.
Atal's impressive performances in the Emerging Asia Cup include scores of 52, an unbeaten 95, and 83 runs.
Afghanistan's opening batsman Naveed Zadran is currently recovering from ankle surgery, while their spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman is out due to a sprained right hand.
The three-match series is set to take place on November 6, 9, and 11.
This series serves as valuable preparation for Afghanistan ahead of the prestigious eight-nation Champions Trophy, which will be hosted by Pakistan from February to March in the coming year.
Afghanistan has been enjoying a successful run in limited overs cricket, having secured victories against top-tier nations such as England, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka during the ODI World Cup held in India last year.
Furthermore, they showcased their prowess by reaching the semi-finals of the Twenty20 World Cup, which was co-hosted by the United States and the West Indies in June.
Squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), Rahmat Shah, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ikram Alikhil, Abdul Malik, Riaz Hassan, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, AM Ghazanfar, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Bilal Sami, Naveed Zadran, Farid Ahmad MalikThe TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the ...
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