“As captain and responsible person for the nation I reserve the right to be part of the selection of the team,” Rashid Khan said
Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan stepped down from his position with immediate effect on Thursday, shortly after the country’s cricket board (ACB) named him in their squad for the Twenty20 World Cup in October-November.
The 22-year-old leg-spinner said on social media that he was not consulted by the ACB, who earlier named an 18-member squad and two reserve players for the tournament in the United Arab Emirates and Oman.
“As captain and responsible person for the nation I reserve the right to be part of the selection of the team,” Rashid Khan said on Twitter.
“The selection committee and ACB has not obtained my consent for the team which has been announced… I’m taking the decision of stepping down from the role as the captain of Afghanistan T20 side effective immediately.”
The event is scheduled for October 17-November 14 in the United Arab Emirates and Oman.
Khan, who also stepped down in 2019 after being captain for just three months, said he should have played a part in selecting the side.
“The selection committee and ACB have not obtained my consent for the team which has been announced by the ACB media.
“I am taking the decision of stepping down from the role as the captain of Afghanistan T20 side effective immediately.
“It’s always my pride playing for Afghanistan.”
The decision will be another major blow to new ACB interim chairman Azizullah Fazli, appointed after the Taliban’s takeover last month.
Rashid did not say which selections he was unhappy with.
Veteran wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Shahzad, who has not played international cricket since the 2019 one-day World Cup, was recalled, as were experienced fast bowlers Dawlat Zadran and Hamid Hassan.
There may have to be further cuts to the squad, though, as teams are limited to 15 players for the tournament.
Media reports suggested that all-rounder Mohammad Nabi would take Rashid’s place as captain.
Rashid is the world’s number-three ranked T20I bowler and Afghanistan’s most important player.
The squad
Rashid Khan, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Hazratullah Zazai, Usman Ghani, Asghar Afghan, Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Mohammad Shahzad, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Karim Janat, Gulbadin Naib, Naveen ul Haq, Hamid Hassan, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Dawlat Zadran, Shapoor Zadran, Qais Ahmad.
Reserves: Afsar Zazai, Farid Ahmad Malik
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