NEW DELHI: Afghanistan have named a 15-member squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 to be held in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8. Rashid Khan will lead a side that has been boosted by the return of experienced all-rounder Gulbadin Naib, who has a quick arm and right-arm back. injury.Left-handed middle-order batsman Shahidullah Kamal and batsman Mohammad Ishaq have retained their places, while young fast bowler Abdullah Ahmadzai has earned a place in the main line-up.
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Pacer Fazal Haq Farooqi, who missed the recent Bangladesh series and featured only in the final T20I against Zimbabwe, has also been included in the 15-man squad for the West Indies series and the World Cup.The inclusion of Mujeeb Ur Rahman is another key point, with AM Ghazanfar named among the reserves along with middle-order batsman Ijaz Ahmadzai and opening fast bowler Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi.As part of the preparations for the global tournament, Afghanistan will take on the West Indies in a three-match T20I series in the UAE from January 19-22, with the same squad selected for the series.ACB CEO Naseeb Khan said, “AfghanAtalan had a great run in the previous edition of the T20 World Cup. We cherish the great memories of the past and hope for even better results this year, which will be played in Asian conditions. Hosting the West Indies team gives us an incredible opportunity to fine-tune our combination and adequately prepare for the World Cup.”ACB Chief Selector Ahmad Shah Sulimankhil added, “We have had good discussions over the last few days and finalized the squad. Gulbadin Naib is a big match player and his return strengthens our team. We are also happy to have Naveen Ul Haq back which adds to the quality of our fast bowling.“It was a tough decision to leave AM Ghazanfar out of the main squad as his place was given to Mujeeb. Shahidullah Kamal has done well in recent action and provides us with a valuable left-arm option which is crucial in big tournaments.”Afghanistan have been placed in Pool D of the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup along with New Zealand, South Africa, United Arab Emirates and Canada. They will begin their campaign against New Zealand on February 8 in Chennai.At the 2024 FIFA T20 World Cup, Afghanistan grabbed global attention by qualifying for their first ever semi-final where they lost to South Africa.
Afghanistan T20 World Cup Squad:
Rashid Khan (c), Ibrahim Zadran (vc), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Mohammad Ishaq (wk), Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Shahidullah Kamal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Haqve Rahmad, Haqve Rahmad, Mujeb Farooqi and Abdullah Ahmadzai.Reserves: AM Ghazanfar, Ijaz Ahmadzai and Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi
