Kabul, Feb 12, 2025, IANS

Kabul, Feb 12 (IANS) Afghanistan have finalised their squad for the ICC Champions Trophy, starting from February 19 in Pakistan and UAE, with teenage spinner AM Ghazanfar ruled out of the tournament due to a back injury. Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) said Ghazanfar sustained the injury during the Zimbabwe I tour, and will be sidelined for a minimum of four months and will remain under treatment during this period. "Afghanistan's young spin-bowling sensation, AM Ghazanfar, has been ruled out of the ICC Champions Trophy due to a fracture in the L4 vertebra, specifically in the left pars interarticularis," Afghanistan Cricket Board said in a statement. Ghazanfar, who has 21 wickets from 11 ODls, was picked in the Afghanistan preliminary squad last month after excellent performances in the limited overs formats last year. "Nangyal Kharoti, who was part of the reserves pool, has been promoted to the main squad for the Champions Trophy. Additionally, Mujeeb Ur Rahman's continues to miss the ODI action until he has fully recovered," it added. The 20-year-old Kharoti is looking to add to his seven ODI caps for his country and first since he featured against Bangladesh in Sharjah towards the end of last year. Afghanistan have been drafted into the Group B, along with South Africa, Australia and England. They will commence their Champions Trophy campaign against South Africa in Karachi, with further Group B contests against England and Australia to follow in Lahore. Afghanistan squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Ikram Alikhil, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharote, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Farid Malik, Naveed Zadran. Reserves: Darwish Rasooli, Bilal Sami .