Mohammad Shahzad will return after serving a one-year retrospective ban for doping

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Shahzad is back in the national team for the upcoming limited overs series against Zimbabwe in the United Arab Emirates next month.

Shahzad was recently handed a retrospective one-year ban for doping, but it ends on January 17.

The 29-year-old was banned after testing positive for Clenbuterol, which is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

According to a statement that was released by the International Cricket Council (ICC), Shahzad “inadvertently ingested the prohibited substance, as a contaminant of a weight-loss product he was taking, Hydroxycut.”

Meanwhile, all-rounder Samiullah Shenwari has also been included in both sides after being rested for the ODI series against Ireland in December.

As for the bowlers, Hamid Hassan, who last played international cricket in July 2016, was drafted into the Twenty20 side, while pace bowler Dawlat Zadran only found a place in the ODI squad.

The limited overs series, which begins on February 5, will be Phil Simmons’ first assignment as Afghanistan head coach.

Afghanistan’s ODI squad: Asghar Stanikzai (capt), Mohammad Shahzad (wk), Javed Ahmadi, Ihsanullah Janat, Najibullah Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Samiullah Shenwari, Nasir Jamal, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Zadran, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Dawlat Zadran, Shapoor Zadran

Reserves: Noor Ali Zadran, Karim Janat, Sayed Ahmad Shirzad, Afsar Zazai

Afghanistan’s T20I squad: Asghar Stanikzai (capt), Mohammad Shahzad (wk), Usman Ghani, Karim Sadiq, Najibullah Zadran, Shafiqullah, Samiullah Shenwari, Aftab Alam, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Zadran, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Hamid Hassan, Shapoor Zadran