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Afghanistan announced an 18-member squad for the three-match T20I series against UAE starting on Thursday.

Mohammad Nabi, who stepped down from captaincy after the T20 World Cup last year, has been left out. Qais Ahmad, Darwish Rasooli, Mohammad Saleem, and Usman Ghani has also been dropped from the squad.

Rashid Khan will lead the side, Zahir Khan and Rahmat Shah have been included. Sharafuddin Ashraf, who was among the reserves for the T20 World Cup, has also been called up to the squad.

Mirwais Ashraf, the ACB chairman, said: "We don't take any team lightly and have always tended to completely prepare the squad for any event," he said.

"The team has been in the UAE for around 10 days as it was getting ready for the series."

The two cricket boards signed a five-year agreement on November 27 in which the Emirates Cricket Board will provide the Afghanistan Cricket Board with logistical and infrastructure support, including hosting their “home” matches. The Afghans will play a series of three T20I matches with the UAE every year as part of the agreement.

Afghanistan squad: 

Rashid Khan (Capt), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Afsar Zazai, Azmatullah Omarzai, Fareed Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Gulbadin Naib, Hazratullah Zazai, Ibrahim Zadran, Karim Jannat, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Najibullah Zadran, Naveen-ul-Haq, Nijat Masood, Noor Ahmad, Rahmat Shah, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Zahir Khan