Champions Trophy 2025: MI spinner ruled out of the competition, in doubt for IPL

Afghanistan has been dealt with a massive blow as their mystery spinner AM Ghazanfar has been ruled out of the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy, scheduled to start on February 19 in Pakistan and Dubai.

The right-arm off-spinner also represents Mumbai Indians (MI) as he was roped in by the franchise in the recent IPL 2025 Auction in November 2024 for a whopping price of INR 4.8 crore. Notably, he sustained a fracture in his L4 vertebra.

Initially, Ghazanfar was named as the replacement for Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who hadn’t recovered from his previous injuries. Interestingly, Mujeeb went on to play SA20 full season for Paarl Royals and wasn’t part of Afghanistan’s series against Zimbabwe recently.

"AM Ghazanfar, has been ruled out of the ICC Champions Trophy due to a fracture in the L4 vertebra, specifically in the left pars interarticularis." ACB said in a statement on Wednesday.

"He (Ghazanfar) sustained the injury during Afghanistan's recently held tour of Zimbabwe, and will be sidelined for a minimum of four months and will remain under treatment during this period," it added.

Who will replace him in Afghanistan’s squad for Champions Trophy 2025?

Left-arm spinner Nangeyalia Kharote, who was originally on the list of reserves, has now been named as his replacement in the main squad. 

Afghanistan will have four spinners in their squad, including Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Mohammad Nabi, and Nangeyalia Kharote. Interestingly, Kharote hasn’t represented for Afghanistan since the ODI series against Bangladesh in Sharjah in November 2024.

A look at Afghanistan's squad for Champions Trophy 2025:

Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Rahmat Shah (VC), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Ikram Alikhil (WK), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Nangeyalia Kharote , Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveed Zadran and Farid Ahmad Malik.

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