Shpageeza Cricket League 2017 Squads: Who are the players that have been roped in?
Having been awarded the Test status earlier this year, Afghanistan cricket has begun making giant strides in the global game. Shpageeza Cricket League, a T20 tournament which has gotten bigger and better this year, reiterates the earnest efforts of administrators in the country as well as cricket's potential in the region. Even though quite a few international players had participated in previous editions of the tournament, the 2017 edition is shaping up to be a major step in Afghanistan's dreams of joining the big league.
All matches of the fifth edition of Shpageeza Cricket League will be telecast live across Afghanistan on 1TV. The tournament will run from September 11 to 22 at Kabul International Cricket Stadium. There will be a total of 15 league matches after which 2 qualifiers and an eliminator pave the way for the title clash.
With 6 overseas coaches from countries such as England, South Africa, India and West Indies in charge of the various teams, the tournament has managed to attract plenty of talented cricketers across the international circuit.
Here are the complete squads of all teams participating in the 2017 edition of the Shpageeza Cricket League.
AMO Sharks
Owner: Al-Masafi
Coach: Gordon James Parsons (England)
Full Squad: Mirwais Ashraf (c), Abdul Razzaq (Pakistan), Afsar Zazai (wk), Dawlat Khan, Fazal Zazai, Imran Mohammadi, Hamilton Masakadza (Zimbabwe), Mohammad Alam, Najeeb Tarakai, Nasir Totakhil, Nawab Khan, Richard Ngarava (Zimbabwe), Noor-ul-Haq Malekzai, Perwez Malikzai, Rahmatullah Sahaq, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Tahir Khan, Yamin Ahmadzai and Yousuf Zazai
Band-e-Amir Dragons
Owner: Paragons
Coach: Umesh Patwal (India)
Full Squad: Rashid Khan (c), Amin Shinwari, Arif Khan, Fitratullah Khawari, Habib Sultani, Hazratullah, Javed Ahmadi, Luke Jongwe (Zimbabwe), Muslim Musa, Najibullah Zadran, Qasim Orya-Khalil (wk), Rahmat Shah, Denesh Ramdin (West Indies) (wk), Samim Sultani, Shahidullah, Glenton Anric Stuurman (South Africa), Tahsin Sultani and Wahab Shinwari
Boost Defenders
Owner: Arif Azim Group of Companies
Coach: Adam Hollioake (England)
Full Squad: Shapoor Zadram (c), Abdul Baqi, Cameron Delport (South Africa), Rayad Emrit (West Indies), Fazal Niazai, Gulbadin Naib, Juma Gul, Jeevan Mendis (Sri Lanka), Mujeeb Zadran, Munir Ahmad, Nasir Khan, Nawroz Mangal, Shabir Noori, Tariq Stanikzai, Morne van Wyk (South Africa) (wk), Waheedullah Shafaq, Waqar Ishakqai and Zia-ur-Rehman
Kabul Eagles
Owner: General Petroleum (GP)
Coach: Augustin Logie (West Indies)
Full Squad: Asghar Stanikzai (c), Abdullah Mazari, Fareed Ahmad, Hamid Hassan, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Imran Janat, Karim Janat, Karim Sadiq, Khalibar Omar, Solomon Mire (Zimbabwe), Mohammad Ibrahim, Mohammad Sardar, Richmond Mutumbami (Zimbabwe) (wk), Sayed Nasratullah, Qais Ahmad, Sayed Abdullah, Shawkat Zaman and Zeeshan Maqsood (Oman)
Mis Ainak Nights
Owner: Wazirzai Group of Companies
Coach: Andrew Moles (England)
Full Squad: Mohammad Nabi (c), Bahar Shinwari, Ryan Burl (Zimbabwe), Darwish Rasooli, Dawlat Zadran, Ghamai Zadran, Ibrahim Zadran, Ihsanullah, Nasir Jamal, Naveen-ul-Haq, Nawaz Khan, Nisar Wahdat, Rahim Mangal, Rahman Gul (wk), Vusi Sibanda (Zimbabwe), Sikandar Raza Butt (Zimbabwe), Zahir Shehzad, Zamir Khan and Zia-ul-Haq Esa
Speenghar Tigers
Owner: Muslimyar Group
Coach: Herschelle Gibbs (South Africa)
Full Squad: Shafiqullah Shafaq (c), Abdullah Adil, Abdul Wasi, Aftab Alam, Amir Hamza, Batin Shah, Bilal Khan (Oman), Elton Chigumbura (Zimbabwe), Tendai Chisoro (Zimbabwe), Fazal Haq, Haji Murad Muradi (wk), Nijat Masood, Noor Ali Zadran, Rokhan Barakzai, Samiullah Shenwari, Usman Ghani and Younas Ahmadzai