Afghanistan’s T20I squad, spearheaded by Rashid Khan and bolstered by the returns of Ibrahim Zadran and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, is set to take on Pakistan and UAE in a tri-series starting Friday in Sharjah. 

The tournament offers the team critical match practice and a chance to gather insights on their Asia Cup opponents ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 Asia Cup, which begins in the UAE on September 9.

The 17-member squad largely mirrors Afghanistan’s Asia Cup roster, with Naveen-ul-Haq absent. In his place, 22-year-old pacer Abdollah Ahmadzai has been named. Ahmadzai, who has taken 14 wickets in 10 T20 matches, is yet to make his international debut and is among the reserves for the Asia Cup.