Persistent rain forced the first ODI between Afghanistan and Scotland at The Grange in Edinburgh, Scottish capital on Wednesday to be abandoned without a ball bowled.

The two ODIs here and two more against Ireland were Afghanistan's tune-up games before the World Cup starting later this month. 

The squad for this series is missing several star players like Rashid Khan, Mohammadi Nabi and Mujeeb Zadran, who are in India playing IPL, and the series is therefore seen as an opportunity for some of the players to make a mark in the chances provided. 

New captain Gulbadin Naib too will need a few games to set the kind of process he expects from his team.

Meanwhile, fast bowler Hamid Hassan is set to retire after the World Cup and will be itching to get on the park in these upcoming matches to prepare for his final hurrah. 

Afghanistan’s National Cricket Team left Kabul last week to Scotland to attend four One Day International (ODI) matches against Scotland and Ireland. 

After the ODI matches, the Afghan team will travel to the United Kingdom for ICC Cricket World Cup 2019.