Afghanistan Spinner Ruled Out Of Champions Trophy; Huge Blow For Mumbai Indians

The list of injuries before the start of the Champions Trophy is growing by leaps and bounds. Afghanistan is the new side on the list, alongside India and Australia, who have already lost their premier pacers for the mega tournament.

With the surfaces of Pakistan and Dubai International Stadium expecting to help the spinners, the Asian side could be a team to look forward to in the 50-over competition.

Allah Ghazanfar to miss Champions Trophy 2025; This spinner called

The 18-year-old right-arm mystery spinner, Allah Ghazanfar, has made a bright start to his ODI career with 21 wickets in 11 innings at an average of 13.57 and a strike rate of 20 with an economy rate of 4.05, thanks to a couple of five-wicket hauls at the best bowling figure of 6/26 in an inning.

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He won’t be part of the ICC tournament because of a fracture in the L4 vertebra. The left-arm spinner, Nangeyalia Kharote, who was originally on the list of reserves for the event, has joined the main squad. The 20-year-old has featured in seven 50-over encounters so far to enjoy 11 wickets at an average of 16.54 and an economy rate of below four.

During last year’s Sharjah ODI against Bangladesh, Kharote picked up 3/28 in the first innings. Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) revealed the injury news on Wednesday morning (February 12). The report claimed that Ghazanfar picked up the injury during a recent tour to Zimbabwe late last year and will be sidelined for a minimum of four months and will remain under treatment during this period.

Afghanistan has carried several top-notch spinners in the line-up, including Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmed, and Mohammad Nabi. The T20I captain of the side is fresh off winning the SA20 as a captain of the MI Cape Town in the 2025 season of the league.

Noor, the left-arm wrist spinner, enjoyed a great time in the Rainbow Nation with 13 wickets in nine innings at an average of 17.53 and a strike rate of 15.23. The Dubar Super Giants’ spinner had an economy rate of below seven in the tournament. Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who played the SA20 with the Paarl Royals through January and early February, will miss the Champions Trophy.

He didn’t feature in their tour of Zimbabwe and wasn’t named in the Original 15-member squad. Mujeeb hasn’t played an ODI for Afghanistan since the 2023 World Cup in India and will be out until he gains full fitness.

Mumbai Indians face Afghanistan spinners’ fitness issue

The Mumbai Indians franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL) won’t be happy with the news. They signed the young spinner for the upcoming 2025 season along with New Zealand’s left-arm spin all-rounder, Mitchell Santner.

Afghanistan's spinner wasn’t as effective as the MI Emirates would have hoped him to be, bowling 7.1 overs in those games for just one wicket at an economy rate of 9.48. The T20 tournament is scheduled to begin on March 21 and will run till May 25.

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Allah was also part of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the past but didn’t feature in a single game. In 19 T20s, the spinner has celebrated 30 wickets at an average of 13.50, a strike rate of 13.2, and an economy rate of 6.12, with the best bowling figure of 4/12 in an inning.

Afghanistan’s Updated Squad For Champions Trophy 2025

Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Ibrahim Zadran, Ikram Alikhil (wk), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah (vice-captain), Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Freeh Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Nangeyalia Kharote, Naveed Zadran, Noor Ahmad