Naveen-ul-Haq and Gulbadin Naib have been recalled to Afghanistan’s squad for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, as the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced a 15-member squad on Wednesday. The side will be led by Rashid Khan.
Naveen-ul-Haq returns to the national setup after recovering from a shoulder injury. The fast bowler last featured in a T20I in December 2024 and has not played any international cricket since then. Gulbadin Naib also makes a comeback after missing recent assignments.
The returning duo, along with Mohammad Ishaq, were not part of the Afghanistan team that toured Zimbabwe for a T20I series in October–November earlier this year. Ishaq, a 20-year-old wicketkeeper, later featured in a one-off T20I against Qatar.
Afghanistan squad for T20 World Cup
Rashid Khan (captain), Noor Ahmad, Abdullah Ahmadzai, Sediqullah Atal, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Naveen-ul-Haq, Mohammad Ishaq, Shahidullah Kamal, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Darwish Rasooli, Ibrahim Zadran
Reserves:
AM Ghazanfar, Ijaz Ahmadzai, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi
Players including Sharafuddin Ashraf, Fareed Ahmad Malik, Bashir Ahmad, and Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai, who were part of the Zimbabwe tour squad, have been omitted from the World Cup lineup.
Afghanistan have been placed in Group D, alongside New Zealand, South Africa, UAE, and Canada. Their World Cup campaign will begin against New Zealand on February 8 in Chennai.
The same 15-player squad will also feature in Afghanistan’s three-match T20I series against West Indies, scheduled to be played in the UAE from January 19.
