T20 World Cup 2021: Sharafuddin Ashraf replaces retired Asghar Afghan in Afghanistan's squad

Afghanistan's bowling all-rounder Sharafuddin Ashraf has been named as the replacement for Asghar Afghan. The latter's decided to hang his boots from the highest level midway through the tournament.

ICC's event technical committee, made up of Chris Tetley (Head of Events, Chair), Clive Hitchcock (ICC Senior Cricket Operations Manager), Rahul Dravid, Dhiraj Malhotra (BCCI Representatives), Simon Doull and Ian Bishop (Independent Members) approved the aforementioned change on Tuesday.

Notably, the 26-year-old spinner traveled with the team as a reserve player. The talented youngster will be available for selection in his team's upcoming clash against India on Wednesday. He has been featured in 9 T20Is so far in his career and has 5 wickets to his name in the format.

Asghar Afghan played the final T20I of his career on Sunday. He made an impact with the bat in his farewell match against Namibia by scoring 31 runs from 23 deliveries. While speaking to the broadcaster after the match, the veteran had mentioned that he wants to give opportunities to younger guys to shine.

Afghanisthan look to secure a crucial victory against a struggling Indian side

The Virat Kohli-led Indian side have looked lackluster so far in the ongoing T20 World Cup. After dealing with two successive losses, it becomes imperative for them to come up with an improved performance in their upcoming game against Afghanistan in order to remain afloat in the multi-nation competition,

Afghanistan, on the other hand, has shown glimpses of brilliance on the big stage. They are currently placed second in the points table in Group 2 of the Super 12's. A dominant performance against India could further boost their chances of booking a spot for the all-important semi-finals.

The two Asian nations are slated to lock horns on Wednesday, November 3. The Shiekh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi will host the high-octane encounter between India and Afghanistan.

For the complete T20 World Cup 2021 schedule, click here.