Afghanistan bring back Naib, Naveen for T20 World Cup 2026

Naveen-ul-Haq and Gulbadin Naib have returned to the Afghanistan side for the upcoming T20 World Cup. The 15-player squad, set to be led by Rashid Khan, was announced by the Afghanistan Cricket Board on Wednesday.

Naveen, who has recovered from a shoulder injury, last played a T20I in December 2024. The returning duo, along with wicketkeeper Mohammad Ishaq, were not part of the T20I side that toured Zimbabwe earlier this year.

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, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi

Sharafuddin Ashraf, Fareed Ahmad Malik, Bashir Ahmad and Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai have been dropped from the squad that faced Zimbabwe.

Afghanistan are in Group D alongside New Zealand, South Africa, UAE and Canada. Their campaign begins against New Zealand on February 8 in Chennai.

This squad will also play a three-match T20I series against the West Indies in the UAE, starting January 19.