The experienced all-rounder Gulbadin Naib and right-arm pacer Naveen Ul Haq have been returned to the Afghanistan Squad for the upcoming Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled to take place in India and Sri Lanka.

Rashid Khan will be leading the 15-member squad for the global event in February and March. Naveen makes his comeback after recovering from a shoulder injury.

Meanwhile, the left-handed middle order batter Shahidullah Kamar and wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Ishaq have retained their spots, while fast bowler Abdullah Ahmadzai, who missed the recent Bangladesh series and played only the final T20I against Zimbabwe, has also been included for both the upcoming West Indies series and World Cup.

Mujeeb Ur Rahman has been included in the Afghanistan squad, while AM Ghazanfar has been listed in reserves alongside middle-order batter Ijaz Ahmadzai and emerging fast bowler Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) CEO, Naseeb Khan, said, “Afghanistan had a terrific run in the previous edition of the T20 World Cup. We cherish excellent memories from the past and hope for even better results this year, which will be played in Asian conditions.”

“Hosting the West Indies team provides us with an incredible opportunity to fine-tune our combination and prepare adequately for the World Cup,” Naseeb Khan said.

Meanwhile, ACB chief selector Ahmad Shah Sulimankhil said, “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 provided us with a valuable left-handed option, which is crucial in major tournaments,” Ahmad Shah concluded.

Placed in group D, Afghanistan will play their group stage games against New Zealand, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates and Canada. Afghanistan will play their opener match against New Zealand on February 08 in Chennai.

Afghanistan 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, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen Ul Haq, Fazal Haq Farooqi and Abdullah Ahmadzai.

Reserves: AM Ghazanfar, Ijaz Ahmadzai and Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi.