The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has blamed Asghar Afghan for the Test match defeat against Zimbabwe and removed him from the captaincy of the national team. Afghanistan had lost to Zimbabwe in the first Test, played in March this year, by 10 wickets.

The ACB said in a statement on Monday (May 31) that Afghan's captaincy calls were the reason behind Afghanistan's loss against Zimbabwe in the first Test. However, they didn't point out the decisions by the ex-captain.

ALSO READ:  Afghanistan to host Pakistan for a limited-overs series in UAE this year: Report

"The decision to remove Asghar Afghan from captaincy was taken based on an investigation conducted by ACB's Investigative committee," an ACB media release stated.

"It concluded that some of Afghan's decisions as the captain of the team resulted in Afghanistan's loss to Zimbabwe in the first Test of the series between both sides in Abu Dhabi in March."

Afghanistan lost the first of two Tests against Zimbabwe in just two days. They were bowled out for 131 and 135 runs in their two innings. But they came back strong in the next match and defeated Zimbabwe by 6 wickets. 

Afghan had scored a hundred in the next match and Hashmatullah Shahidi smashed an unbeaten double hundred as they shared a 307-run partnership in the second Test to save the series. 

Shahidi is the new Test and ODI captain of Afghanistan and Rahmat Shah will be his deputy in both formats. Rashid Khan will be the vice-captain in T20I and ACB will soon name their new captain in the shortest format. 

(With AP Inputs)