After a rather forgettable campaign in the T20 World Cup 2026, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has taken a big decision. The cricket board has appointed Ibrahim Zadran as its new captain in the T20I format, replacing Rashid Khan. He will begin his journey as T20I captain in the upcoming series against Sri Lanka.
Afghanistan cricket team led by Zadran will start a new era in its cricket history. Under the leadership of Rashid Khan, the cricket team touched new heights in international cricket. The task of taking the team forward will not be easy for the newly appointed leader.
Why does ACB need a change of leadership?
In the 2024 T20 World Cup, Afghanistan surprised everyone by reaching the semi-finals of the tournament. Rejecting many veteran candidates, Rashid Khan led the team to the best four-team group of the ICC’s premier tournament. From there, they suffered a crushing defeat against South Africa, but qualifying for the World Cup semi-finals was still a major achievement for the team.
In 2026, they had a disappointing campaign and were eliminated at the group stage. The team’s head coach Jonathan Trott also bid farewell to the national team as their campaign ended early. Keeping an eye on the future, ACB officials needed to take an important step, which could have an impact on the future.
In a major move, they have appointed top-order batsman Ibrahim Zadran, who previously served as vice-captain in T20Is, as the captain of the Afghanistan T20I team, replacing Rashid Khan. Afghanistan are scheduled to face Sri Lanka in the limited overs series, where Zadran will make his captaincy debut in international cricket.
“Rashid Khan’s tenure as T20I captain has brought immense success to the team, especially highlighted by the team’s remarkable journey in the 2024 edition of the T20 World Cup, where we reached the semi-finals. In line with the long-term strategic vision of the ACB and following the recent changes in our team management, including the appointment of a new head coach, we have taken the thoughtful decision to make a change of leadership within the T20I setup”, ACB Chief Selector, Mr Ahmed Shah Sulaimankhil said in a statement. Said in the official statement.
Afghanistan Cricket Board explains why Zadran is the best to replace Rashid Khan
The statement further read, “Ibrahim Zadran, who has served as Rashid Khan’s deputy, will take over the role as Afghanistan’s regular captain in this format. We heartily thank Rashid Khan for his valuable contribution and wish Ibrahim Zadran every success in this important new role.”
The cricket board has made it clear that they are taking these steps with the aim of performing well in the upcoming T20 World Cup events. Under the leadership of the new leader, they are expected to climb to new heights in the near future.
He added, “Furthermore, our long-term goal is to adequately prepare the team for the upcoming two World Cup events. We are hopeful that under this new leadership, the national team will not only flourish but also excel and create a strong and competitive bench strength for the important challenges ahead.”
Why is Ibrahim Zadran considered a challenger to Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma?
According to the ICC ODI rankings for batsmen, Zadran appears to be a strong challenge for Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. After Daryl Mitchell and Virat Kohli, the Afghanistan batsman is currently placed third in the rankings with 764 points, while second-place Kohli has 795 points.
Former India captain Rohit Sharma is at fourth place in the rankings with 757 points.
Afghanistan teams for Sri Lanka series:
Afghanistan T20 squad: Ibrahim Zadran (captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wicketkeeper), Noor Rahman (wicketkeeper), Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasouli, Shahidullah Kamal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmed, Mujeeb Ur Rehman, Zia Ur Rehman Sharifi, Farid Ahmed Malik. And Abdullah Ahmadzai.
Reserves: Nangyal Kharoti, Bilal Sami and Ijaz Ahmedzai.
Afghanistan ODI squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (Captain), Rahmat Shah (Vice-Captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Ikram Alikhil (WK), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasouli, Azmatullah Umarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, AM Ghazanfar, Zia Ur Rehman. Sharifi, Farid Ahmed Malik and Bilal Sami.
read more: Misbah-ul-Haq, Sarfaraz Ahmed join new Pakistan selection committee after T20 World Cup 2026