Ahmadzai, Stanikzai omitted for Netherlands tour

The omissions of Raees Ahmadzai and Dawlat Stanikzai and a change of vice-captain are among the surprises in the Afghanistan squad announced this week for the tour of Netherlands in July.

Ahmadzai had recently announced a partial retirement but was still available for selection for limited-overs matches. Allrounder Mirwais Ashraf has replaced Mohammad Nabi as vice-captain for the tour which includes the ICC World Cricket League Division One tournament.

Former Under-19 players, Aftab Alam, wicketkeeper Murad Ali, and right-handed batsman Jawad Ahmed have been included in the squad at a time when some Afghanistan supporters had urged the team receive an infusion of youth to avoid a generation change.

Aftab, a medium-pacer, is a brother of national team players, Karim Sadiq, Hasti Gul Abid and former national team coach, Taj Malik. Alam played two one-day internationals against Canada in February. He is from Nangrarhar Province and plays for Kabul. He recently took six wickets in the ongoing Etisalat Interprovincial tournament.

Murad has played for Afghanistan U-19s for several years. From Faryab Province, he played one match for Afghanistan in the 2007 Asian Cricket Council Twenty20 Cup.

Javed Ahmadi, a right-handed batsman, played in the U-19 World Cup in New Zealand in January. From Kundoz, he plays for Kabul in the Etisalat Interprovincial tournament.

Squad: Nowroz Mangal (Capt), Mirwais Ashraf (vice-capt),Noor Ali, Karim Sadiq, Mohammad Shahzad, Asghar Stanakzai, Mohammad Nabi, Shabir Noori, Murad Ali, Javed Ahmadi, Hameed Hassan, Shahpoor Zadran, Khalid Dad Noori, Aftab Alam, Samiullah Shenwari