T20 World Cup: Mujeeb Ur Rahman ruled out of Afghanistan WC squad

With Afghanistan through to the Super Eight stage of the tournament, Mujeeb Ur Rahman will be replaced by Hazratullah Zazai.

File Photo: Afghanistan’s Mujeeb Ur Rahman has been ruled out of the T20 World Cup due to an injury. | Photo Credit: JOTHI RAMALINGAM B

Afghanistan off-spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman has been ruled out of the T20 World Cup due to an injury to his right index finger.

With his side through to the Super Eight stage of the tournament, he will be replaced by Hazratullah Zazai.

Mujeeb has been a valuable part of the Afghanistan side in recent years, with 46 T20 International caps and 59 wickets to his name, with an enviable career economy of 6.35 in the format.

“The Event Technical Committee of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 has approved Hazratullah Zazai as a replacement for Mujeeb ur Rahman in the Afghanistan squad,” the ICC said in a media release.

The replacement of a player requires the approval of the Event Technical Committee before the player can be officially added to the squad.

The big-hitting Zazai, who has played 43 T20Is, is not a like-for-like replacement for Mujeeb. However, the Afghans have 19-year-old left-arm spinner Noor Ahmed in the squad, who is likely to fill the void left by Mujeeb.

Afghanistan will play its final group match against tournament hosts West Indies and will face India, Australia and the second-placed side in Group D in the Super Eight fixtures.

Afghanistan squad:

Rashid Khan (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Ishaq, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat, Nangyal Kharoti, Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad Malik, Hazratullah Zazai. Reserves: Sediq Atal, Saleem Safi

(With inputs from PTI)