Rashid Khan Omitted from Afghanistan's Test Squad Against New Zealand

Afghanistan's star spinner Rashid Khan has been left out of the 20-member preliminary squad for the one-off Test against New Zealand. The reason for his absence is unknown, but he recently suffered a hamstring injury. The squad, led by Hashmatullah Shahidi, includes seam-bowling allrounder Azmatullah Omarzai, who may make his Test debut. The Test will be played in Greater Noida, India, from September 9-13. Rashid last played a Test match in March 2021. His exclusion comes as a surprise, given his importance to the team.