Afghanistan call up Sayed Ahmad Shirzad to replace Aftab Alam

The 24-year-old replaces Aftab Alam in the 15-man party for the matches against West Indies and Pakistan

Afghanistan have called up Sayed Ahmad Shirzad to their World Cup squad for the final two games of the tournament.

The 24-year-old replaces Aftab Alam in the 15-man party for the matches against West Indies and Pakistan, which will bring Gulbadin Naib’s side’s participation in the competition to a close.

An ICC statement revealed that Alam had been replaced “under exceptional circumstances” and that the World Cup’s technical committee had given permission to Afghanistan to bring in Shirzad.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board followed up on the decision, adding that he had been dismissed for a disciplinary violation, having committed a "breach of ICC's disciplinary code of conduct".

The left-arm seamer made his international debut in 2015 against Oman, but has since seen his stock rise.

He was the leading wicket-taker in the inaugural 2018 Afghanistan Premier League, taking 16 wickets in eight games.

There, representing Kandahar Knights under the captaincy of former national team captain Asghar Afghan, he played alongside fellow left-armers Tymal Mills and Wahab Riaz.

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