Mohammad Nabi was named the captain of Afghanistan’s 15-man squad for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 that will take place in Australia and New Zealand in February and March.
 
This will be Afghanistan’s maiden appearance in a World Cup, although the side has some big-match experience, having taken part in World Twenty20 tournaments earlier. The side will continue to rely on the core of senior players – with the likes of Samiullah Shenwari, Nawroz Mangal, Asghar Stanikzai, Shapoor Zadran, Dawlat Zadran, Mirwais Ashraf and Hamid Hassan all part of the side.
 
Afghanistan also has a couple of young talents in the team, with the 21-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman Afsar Zazai and the 18-year-old batsman Usman Ghani picked in the squad.

Shapoor, Dawlat, Hassan and Aftab Alam form the pace attack, with Shenwari’s legspin and Nabi’s offspin leading the spin contingent.
 
The side also has four standbys named, in Shafiqullah, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Izatullah Dawlatzai and Hashmatullah Shaidi.
 
Squad: Mohammad Nabi (capt), Nawroz Mangal, Asghar Stanikzai, Samiullah Shenwari, Afsar Zazai (wk), Najibullah Zadran, Nasir Jamal, Mirwais Ashraf, Gulbadin Naib, Hamid Hassan, Shapoor Zadran, Dawlat Zadran, Aftab Alam, Javed Ahmadi, Usman Ghani.
 
Standby: Shafiqullah (wk),Sharafuddin Ashraf,Izatullah Dawlatzai, Hashmatullah Shaidi.

(ICC)