Shahzad returns to Afghanistan squad for Zimbabwe ODIs and T20Is

Mohammad Shahzad, who will be eligible to play for Afghanistan in January, 2018, after serving a 12-month suspension by the ICC for violating an anti-doping rule, has been drafted into the ODI and T20I squads to play Zimbabwe next month in Sharjah.

The 31-year-old pleaded guilty to the charge but convinced the governing body that he had taken the substance unintentionally in his bid to reduce weight. Once the ICC was sure that he had not taken the substance in order to enhance his performance, the 12-month suspension was imposed. The suspension then was backdated to January 17, 2017, the date of his sample collection, and as a result, he will be available to play on January 17, 2018.

Sharafuddin Ashraf, the left-arm spinner, has been picked in both the squads. The 22-year-old hasn't played for Afghanistan since the T20Is against Hong Kong in 2015. Meanwhile, Hamid Hassan, the talented all-rounder, has made a comeback into the T20I squad. Hassan, who has bagged 32 wickets at 16.34 in the shortest format, last represented Afghanistan in a 50-over game versus Ireland in 2016. Aftab Alam, the medium pacer, also has returned to the T20I set-up after a gap of more than a year. Asghar Stanikzai will captain both the squads.

The two sides will lock horns in the two-match T20I series on February 5 and 6 respectively. The first of the five ODIs will take place on February 9. The next four games are slated to be held on February 11, 13, 16 and 19. Sharjah will host all the seven matches of Zimbabwe's short tour.

ODI squad: Asghar Stanikzai(c), Mohammad Shahzad, Javed Ahmadi, Ihsanullah Janat, Rahmat Shah,Najibullah Zadran, Samiullah Shinwari, Nasir Jamal, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Zadran, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Dawlat Zadran and Shapoor Zadran

T20I squad: Asghar Stanikzai (c), Mohammad Shahzad, Usman Ghani, Karim Sadiq, Najibullah Zadran, Shafiqullah Shafaq, Samiullah Shinwari, Aftab Alam, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Zadran, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Hamid Hassan and Shapoor Zadran