Afghanistan will play Ireland for a one-off Test in Abu Dhabi, UAE, beginning on Wednesday, February 28. Here is the AFG vs IRE Test squad for both sides, including injury updates.
Subscribe to the Wisden Cricket YouTube channel for post-match analysis, player interviews, and much more.
The one-off Test match will be played between February 28 and March 3 at the Tolerance Oval in Abu Dhabi. Having received ICC’s Full Membership in 2017, both sides pitted against each other in a Test match once in 2019 at Dehradun, India. With 2-20 and 5-82, Rashid Khan starred for Afghanistan, helping them to beat Ireland by seven wickets.
Ireland have undergone wholesale changes as only five members of the Test squad featured in Ireland’s defeat in Dehradun have been retained. The tourists have named a 15-member group led by Andrew Balbirnie. Rookie fast-bowler Matthew Foster has earned his maiden Test call-up. Foster represents Northern Districts and CSNI in Ireland’s domestic competitions and is one of the four uncapped players in the new-look squad. Barry McCarthy, Theo van Woerkom and Craig Young are also in line for a Test debut when the one-off Test gets underway.
The trophy unveiling – we’re well and truly counting down the days now to Test #8.
Play starts this Wednesday – find the series details here: https://t.co/nGvM0EMPoD#BackingGreen ☘️🏏 pic.twitter.com/okssdxlNqp
— Cricket Ireland (@cricketireland) February 25, 2024
After clean-sweeping the ODI and T20I series against Zimbabwe in December, Ireland went to a preparatory camp in Spain before flying out to UAE five days before the start of the Test.
AFG vs IRE Test squad: Team lists for Afghanistan vs Ireland Test match
Afghanistan: Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmat Shah (vc), Ikram Alikhail (wk), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Baheer Shah, Noor Ali Zadran, Abdul Malik, Nasir Jamal, Karim Janat, Khalil Gurbaz, Zahir Khan, Zia Ur Rehman Akbar, Nijat Masoud, Naveed Zadran, Ibrahim Abdulrahimzai
Ireland: Andy Balbirnie (c), Lorcan Tucker (wk), Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Matthew Foster, Graham Hume, PJ Moor, Andy McBrine, Barry McCarthy, James McCollum, Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Theo van Woerkom, Craig Young
