Afghanistan are set to hand out a number of new Test caps for their second ever Test match. All-rounder Ashraf, 17-year-old left-arm pacer Waqar Salamkhail and Ali Khil have been named in the 14-member squad announced on Thursday, 7 February.

All of Afsar Zazai, Amir Hamza, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Sayed Shirzad and Zahir Khan, who featured in the squad for the historic first Test in Bengaluru, miss out.

While Ashraf has been left out of the one-day international squad, he finds a place in the T20Is. Ali Khil, who has come up through the 'emerging' team set-up, has been included in the ODI squad as well, but not the T20Is. 

With the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2019 just a few months away, the selectors have identified an expanded 21-member squad for the 50-over games. The likes of Dawlat Zadran, Shapoor Zadran and Noor Ali Zadran have a chance to stake their claim for a World Cup spot, while the big-hitting Hazratullah Zazai has been given an opportunity in the ODIs. 

Uncapped Zahir Khan, who provides a bit of variety with his left-arm orthodox, could make his debut. He is included in the squads for both the ODIs and the T20Is. Zia-Ur-Rehman, an unorthodox left-arm spinner, has been included for the T20Is. 

Afghanistan and Ireland play three T20Is, five ODIs and one Test starting 21 February. Afghanistan had undergone training camps in Chennai and Bengaluru in preparation for what will be a major series for both sides. 

Squads

Test: Asghar Afghan (c), Mohammad Shahzad, Ihsan Janat, Javed Ahmadi, Rahmat Shah, Nasir Jamal, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Ikram Ali Khil, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Wafadar Momand, Yamin Ahmadzai, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Waqar Salamkheil

T20I: Asghar Afghan (c), Usman Ghani, Najeeb Tarakai, Hazratullah Zazai, Samiullah Shinwari, Mohammad Nabi, Shafiqullah Shafaq, Rashid Khan, Najibullah Zadran, Karim Janat, Farid Malik, Sayed Shirzad, Zia-Ur-Rehman, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Zahir Khan, Sharafuddin Ashraf

ODI: Asghar Afghan (c), Mohammad Shahzad, Noor Ali Zadran, Javed Ahmadi, Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmat Shah, Samiullah Shinwari, Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Ikram Ali Khil, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Rashid Khan, Karim Janat, Gulbadin Naib, Aftab Alam, Dawlat, Zahir Khan, Farid Malik, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Shapoor Zadran, Sayed Shirzad