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Left-hand top-order batter Suliman Safi will lead the 20-member Afghanistan squad in the ICC U19 World Cup which will be played in January-February 2022 in the West Indies.
Safi will also captain the team in the U19 Asia Cup that will be played in the UAE later this month. The selection committee of the Afghanistan Cricket Board had invited 45 players, who met the eligibility criteria, for a training camp that lasted for one month to prepare the side for the upcoming two tournaments. The squad includes two players who took part in the last edition of the U19 World Cup that was played in South Africa in January-February 2020, Afghanistan finished 7th in the event. Left-arm wrist spinner Noor Ahmad and Right Hand wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Ishaq were the two players to feature in the South Africa event. "The training camp proved to be very effective in terms of different skills & capacities of the players; the coaches worked on the batting, bowling, fielding & physical fitness of the players, which proved very effective in terms of their preparations for the upcoming events," Acting head of the selection committee, Noor Malikzai said in a statement. The CEO of Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) Naseeb Khan said: "I have always insisted the selection committee to go for the best available options. I am sure the they have selected the players who have the ability to not only do well in these specific events but also have a bright future ahead." Afghanistan squad: Suliman Safi (C), Ijaz Ahmadzai (VC), Mohammad Ishaq (WK) Suliman Arabzai, Bilal Sayeedi, Allah Noor, Muhammadullah, Khyber Wali, Ijaz Ahmad, Izharulhaq Naweed, Noor Ahmad, Faisal Khan, Naweed Zadran, Bilal Sami, Nangyalai Khan, Khalil Ahmad, Abdul Hadi, Bilal Tarin, Shahid Hassani & Younis. The team will first leave for UAE to take part in ACC U-19 Asia Cup 2021 in late December, which will be followed by their tour to the WI to participate in the ICC U-19 CWC 2022. (ANI)
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