Tag World-T20-2012

Afghanistan have been in only one REAL international cricket tournament = World T20 2010. Few qualifier tournaments, an associate series and one-off ODIs against Pakistan and Australia -- they haven't really tasted the highest quality but that doesn't mean they haven't earned their right to be in T20 world cup 2012. Finishing as the finalists of qualifiers round, Afghanistan are here in Sri Lanka to prove a point and they've some cricketers anxious to announce themselves at the top level. here's the squad that'll be participating in league stages, hoping to cause an upset or two..

Schedule : T20 world cup 2012.

Batting department will depend on experienced captain Nawroz Mangal, openers Karim Sadiq and Javed Ahmadi besides attackers Asghar Stanikzai and Mohammad Shahzad.

Left-arm spinner Mohammad Nasim Baras, and batsmen Najibullah Zadran and Shafiqullah, who were not part of Afghanistan's squad for the World T20 qualifiers, have also been brought in.

New-ball bowler Hamid Hassan, who had been out with a knee injury since January, has made a return to the Afghanistan squad for September's World Twenty20.

Hassan had picked up the injury while playing for the ICC Combined Associate and Affiliate XI in Dubai against England, in January. He had opened the bowling in the first innings of that game, claiming the wickets Andrew Strauss and Jonahtan Trott, before having to withdraw from the match.

He has since undergone surgery on his knee, and while not fully recovered yet, should be fit in time for the World T20 - the tournament starts on September 18 - according to Afghanistan Cricket Board chief Hamid Shinwari. "We have selected Hasan with confidence, [believing] that he will attain full fitness before the tournament starts and can get match fitness on our tour to the West Indies early next month," Shinwari told AFP.

Afghanistan squad for T20 world cup 2012

Nawroz Mangal (capt), Dawlat Zadran, Gulbodin Naib, Hamid Hassan, Izatullah Dawlatzai, Karim Sadiq, Javed Ahmadi, Mohammad Nasim Baras, Mohammad Nabi, Mohammad Shahzad (wk), Asghar Stanikzai, Najibullah Zadran, Samiullah Shenwari, Shafiqullah and Shapoor Zadran.