Afzal to lead Hong Kong in World T20 Qualifier

Fast-bowling allrounder Tanwir Afzal has been named captain of Hong Kong and allrounder Mark Chapman Afzal's deputy for the upcoming ICC World T20 qualifiers. Afzal replaced Jamie Atkinson who resigned from the post earlier this month. .

"The selectors have had a tough job, however, this would have to be one of the strongest squads we have ever had," Charlie Burke, the director of Hong Kong cricket, said. "The T20 format best suited us and I'm confident that we will qualify for the World Twenty20 again. The tournament requires us to play our best cricket from the first match, hence we are going to the venues earlier to prepare and get the right balance in the team."

"It's great to have the likes of Anshuman (Rath), Chappy (Mark Chapman) and Kinchit (Shah) back as they are quality batsmen and very good fielders. The focus for the coming weeks will be fielding and game plans."

Hong Kong are drawn in Group A and will play Ireland, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Namibia, USA and Jersey. The top four teams in each of the two groups will progress to the quarter finals, and the top six qualify for the group stages of the ICC World Twenty 20 to be held in India in 2016.

The HKCA have also announced the full squad for the 2015-16 season and named seven development players

The full squad: Tanwir Afzal (captain), Adil Mehmood, Aizaz Khan, Ali Skhawat, Anas Khan, Anshuman Rath, Baber Hayat, Ehsan Nawaz, Haseeb Amjad, Irfan Ahmed, Ishtiaq Muhammad, Jamie Atkinson, Kinchit Shah, Manjinder Singh, Mark Chapman, Nadeem Ahmed, Niraj Patwari, Nizakat Khan, Waqas Barkat, Waqas Khan

Development squad: Awais Mohammad, Cameron McAulsan, Giacomo Lamplough, Karan Shah, LI Kai Ming, Nick Way, Raag Kapur