Afghanistan officially annoucne 15-men squad for the forthcoming edition of the T20 World Cup 2026, which will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
The team will compete in the mega tournament, which will be played from February 7 to March 8 under the leadership of superstar all-rounder Rashid Khan. Mujeeb Ur Rahman has returned to the game’s shortest format, while Ibrahim Zadran has been named his deputy.
Shahidullah Kamal, Mohammad Ishaq, and Mohammad Nabi, who will be 41 on January 1, 2026, have also been added to the team. Additionally, the team has seen the return of Naveen-ul-Haq and Gulbadin Naib, which has greatly improved their bowling lineup.
Fazalhaq Farooqi and Abdullah Ahmadzai are the other fast bowlers included in the World Cup team. The three players designated as reserves for the major event are AM Ghazanfar, Ijaz Ahmadzai, and Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi.
The ACB’s Chief Selector, Ahmad Shah Sulimankhil, gave an explanation for the decision to exclude Allah Ghazanfar, calling the cricket player unfortunate to not be included in the squad.
“We had good discussions over the past few days and finalised the squad. Gulbadin Naib is a big-match player, and his return boosts our team. We are also pleased to have Naveen Ul Haq back, which enhances the quality of our fast bowling. It was a tough decision to leave AM Ghazanfar out of the main squad, as his place made way for Mujeeb. Shahidullah Kamal performed well in the recent event and provides us with a valuable left-handed option, which is crucial in major tournaments,” he said.
Notably, the same team will play a three-match T20I series against the West Indies in the United Arab Emirates from January 19 to 22. Afghanistan, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, and Canada are all in Group D of the T20 World Cup. On February 8, they will begin their campaign in Chennai against New Zealand.
Afghanistan Squad
Rashid Khan (C), 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 and Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi.