NEW DELHI: Touted as one of the most lethal spinners in the circuit,
Mujeeb Ur Rahman
has been forced to withdraw from the remainder of the ICC
T20 World Cup
due to a recurring finger injury that had previously sidelined him during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season.
With Rahman failing to continue, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has approved the replacement of Mujeeb with opening batter
Hazratullah Zazai
, following Afghanistan's victory over Papua New Guinea on Friday.
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Despite featuring in Afghanistan's opening clash against Uganda, Mujeeb has been unable to participate further due to a sprain in the index finger of his bowling hand, according to a report from ESPNCricinfo.
This decision was made by the event's technical committee, providing Afghanistan with a valuable reinforcement to their batting lineup. Although Zazai is not a direct replacement for Mujeeb, his inclusion will provide a significant boost to Afghanistan's batting lineup.
Despite not having played a T20I since February of this year, Zazai has previously featured in the 2021 and 2022 editions of the T20 World Cup. Notably, he holds the second-highest individual score in men's T20I cricket for Afghanistan.
While Mujeeb's absence is undoubtedly a blow, Afghanistan had already included Noor Ahmed as a replacement option in their main squad. Noor has featured in their previous two fixtures against New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, showcasing his potential by claiming 1/14 in his four overs against PNG, although he remained wicketless against the Kiwis.
Having secured their spot in the Super Eight stage by defeating Papua New Guinea, Afghanistan will face the West Indies in their final group game on Monday in Saint Lucia. With Zazai's addition to the squad, the Afghan team will aim to strengthen their batting potency.
While the loss of Mujeeb Ur Rahman is undoubtedly a setback, Afghanistan's depth in spin bowling and the inclusion of Hazratullah Zazai as a batting reinforcement provide them with the necessary resources to navigate through the challenges ahead and maintain their competitive edge in the ICC T20 World Cup.
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