The National Selection Committee of the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has announced a 16-member squad for the one-off Test against Ireland, scheduled to take place at the at the Tolerance Oval in Abu Dhabi from February 28 to March 3. The Test will be their second game against each other.

Both teams last met in a Test in Dehradun in March 2019, with Afghanistan prevailing by a margin of seven wickets. Hashmatullah Shahidi will lead the side, with Rahmat Shah serving as his deputy. Young wicketkeeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz has received his Test call-up and is expected to make his debut against Ireland. Khalil Gurbaz, a right-arm leg-spinner, has also been included in the squad to contribute with his leg-break bowling skills. He has recently had an excellent record in first class cricket, taking 40 wickets in 17 innings, with a best of six-wicket haul in an innings. The ACB has recalled the medium-fast bowler, Ibrahim Abdulrahimzai, who was part of Afghanistan's tour to Bangladesh in June 2023. Meanwhile, Yamin Ahmadzai and Mohammad Saleem Safi, who were part of the squad for the Sri Lanka Test earlier in February, were not selected owing to injuries. Interestingly enough, Afghanistan showed promise against Sri Lanka in the one-off Test at the Singhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground, although losing the game by 10 wickets.