Why is Mujeeb Ur Rahman not playing today’s T20 World Cup 2021 match between Afghanistan and Namibia?

Mujeeb Ur Rahman not playing: Afghanistan have made a major change to their Playing XI for this match at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium.

During the 27th match of the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2021 between Afghanistan and Namibia in Abu Dhabi, Afghanistan captain Mohammad Nabi has won the toss and chose to bat for the second time in a row.

“We’ll bat first. The wicket looks really goot to bat on. Feeling really good after the performance in the last game. A lot of plus points, the boys played really well. Asghar’s [Afghan] service in the last 16 years has been great. He has promoted a lot of cricket for Afghanistan,” Nabi said at the toss.

Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus remained unperturbed about being asked to chase a total at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium saying that they will be taking the field with the same XI.

“A great opportunity for our bowlers to put them under pressure. Looks like a good wicket with wind blowing across. We have planned the same as we planned against Sri Lanka. We are not playing the bowler, we are only playing the ball. We are not going to spend energy on the opposition and are instead going to focus on our strengths. No team changes,” Erasmus said at the toss.

Why is Mujeeb Ur Rahman not playing vs Namibia?

Unlike Namibia, Afghanistan have made a change to their Playing XI – a big one at that. Speaking during the toss, Nabi announced that spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman won’t be playing this match due to an injury.

“Mujeeb [Ur Rahman] is unfit and Hamid Hassan will be playing,” Nabi added.

In the two matches that he’s played in this tournament so far, Rahman has been their best bowler picking six wickets at an average of 5.66, an economy rate of 4.25 and a strike rate of 8.

Hassan, 34, is playing his first match of the T20 World Cup 2021. Since making his international debut in 2009, Hassan has picked 59 and 32 wickets in 38 ODIs and 22 T20Is respectively. In two warm-up matches before Round 2, Hassan had leaked 38 runs in the four overs that he had bowled against South Africa and West Indies.