NEW DELHI: Ibrahim Zadran has been named as the new T20I captain of the Afghanistan national cricket team for the upcoming white-ball series against the Sri Lanka national cricket team. The decision was announced by the Afghanistan Cricket Board following the team’s disappointing performance in the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, where Afghanistan were eliminated in the league stage. Zadran replaces star leg-spinner Rashid Khan, who earlier led the team in the format.
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Zadran served as vice-captain and now steps into a leadership role as part of wider changes to the team following the tournament. Chief selector Ahmad Shah Sulimankhil explained the decision: “Rashid Khan’s tenure as T20I captain has brought tremendous success to the team, particularly highlighted by the team’s remarkable journey to the 2024 T20 World Cup where we reached the semi-finals.He added that the move is part of a long-term plan for the team’s future. “In line with ACB’s long-term strategic vision and following the recent changes in our team leadership, including the appointment of a new head coach, we have taken a deliberate decision to change leadership within the T20I setup,” he continued.“Ibrahim Zadran, who has served as Rashid Khan’s deputy, will take over as Afghanistan’s regular captain in this format. We sincerely thank Rashid Khan for his valuable contributions and wish Ibrahim Zadran every success in this important new role.”The team also saw several changes, players like Fazal Haq Farooqi, Gulbadin Naib and Mohammad Ishaq were left out. Meanwhile, new names like Noor Rahman, Sharafuddin Ashraf and Fareed Ahmad have been included in the T20I squad.“In addition, our long-term goal is to adequately prepare the team for the upcoming two World Cup events,” he noted. “We hope that under this new leadership, the national team will not only flourish, but also deliver outstanding performances and build a strong and competitive bench for the key challenges ahead.”Meanwhile, the ACB said it is monitoring the regional situation due to the conflict between Israel and Iran. The board added: “Although a final decision will be made in a few days, the initial approach of the ACB in coordination with the ECB and venue authorities is to proceed with the originally planned dates. Should circumstances require a change, the ACB will consider exploring alternative options for both the host country and the event schedule.”
