Pace bowler Naveen-ul-Haq, who last played a T20 match against Zimbabwe in December 2024, also returns following recovery from a shoulder injury that kept him out of the Asia Cup in September. Mystery spinner A.M. Ghazanfar has been named as a reserve player, as Afghanistan opted for the experienced slow bowler Mujeeb Ur Rahman for the tournament starting on February 7.
“Afghanistan had an impressive run in the last edition of the T20 World Cup,” remarked Naseeb Khan, the CEO of the national cricket board. “We hold fond memories from the past and aspire for even greater achievements this year in Asian conditions.” Afghanistan reached the semi-finals of the previous T20 World Cup in 2024, which was hosted in the Caribbean and the U.S., after triumphing over well-ranked teams such as New Zealand, Australia, West Indies, and Bangladesh.
Khan’s squad will engage in a three-match T20 series against the West Indies from January 19-22 as part of their preparation. Afghanistan is placed in Group D alongside New Zealand, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, and Canada. They will kick off their campaign against the Kiwis on February 8 in Chennai.
Squad:
Rashid Khan (captain), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Mohammad Ishaq, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Shahidullah Kamal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Abdullah Ahmadzai.
