Afghanistan name ICC World Twenty20 Squad for India 2016

Shapoor Zadran and Hamid Hassan have been recalled to the Afghanistan squad for the ICC World Twenty20 India 2016. The two fast bowlers, both recovering from injuries, have not played international cricket for quite some time now.

Hassan, who is recovering from a thigh injury and is expected to be fully fit in time for the World T20 starting next month, last played for Afghanistan during the ICC World T20 Qualifiers in July last year. Shapoor last represented Afghanistan in October last year in a One-Day International against Zimbabwe.

Asghar Stanikzai has been retained as the captain, while Nawroz Mangal, the top-order batsman, and Mirwais Ashraf, the right-arm seamer, have been left out.

Afghanistan will be looking to continue its good form in T20Is, having lost only two of its last 13 matches.

It will face Hong Kong, Scotland and Zimbabwe in Group B of the first round of the World T20. If it tops that group, it will qualify for the Super 10 stage of the tournament and be clubbed with England, South Africa, Sri Lanka and West Indies.

Before it kicks off its campaign against Scotland on March 8, Afghanistan is due to play two warm-up matches in Mohali -- against Netherlands on March 4 and Oman on March 6.

Squad: Asghar Stanikzai (capt), Noor Ali Zadran, Mohammad Shahzad (wk), Usman Ghani, Mohammad Nabi, Karim Sadiq, Shafiqullah, Rashid Khan, Amir Hamza, Dawlat Zadran, Shapoor Zadran, Gulbadin Naib, Samiullah Shenwari, Najibullah Zadran, Hamid Hassan.