Rafatullah to play for Afghanistan

Rafatullah Mohmand, the Pakistani batsman who plays for Habib Bank, has been included in the 15-member Afghanistan team named ahead of the 2009 ICC World Cup Qualifiers due to take place in South Africa next month, the Dawn reported.

Rafatullah has plenty of experience in the domestic circuit, having played 117 first-class games and scoring close to 5000 runs at 28.45. He has also played 96 limited-overs matches, faring much better with the bat, averaging 37.64 with a highest score of an unbeaten 141. He was invited to play for Afghanistan to strengthen their batting by their coach Kabir Khan, the former left-arm fast medium bowler who played four Tests for Pakistan.

Several members of the Afghan team have participated in domestic tournaments in Pakistan after the PCB gave them special permission. Allrounder Mohammad Nabi and Hamid Hassan, the right-arm medium-pacer, played for Pakistan Customs in the 2007-08 domestic season.

Afghanistan squad: Nowroz Mangal (captain), Khaliq Dad Noori, Karim Sadiq, Mohammad Nabi, Hasti Gul, Raees Ahmadzai, Dawlat Ahmadzai, Mohammad Shehzad, Hamid Hassan, Samiullah Shinwari, Rahfatullah Mohmand, Noor Ali, Asghar Stanikzai, Shahpoor Zadran and Shafiqullah Shafaq.