The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has officially named a formidable 15-member squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, confirming that superstar leg-spinner Rashid Khan will once again lead the Afghanistan team in their pursuit of global glory.
The tournament, set to be hosted across India and Sri Lanka starting February 7, 2026, presents a massive opportunity for Rashid Khan lead Afghanistan to get familiar Asian conditions.
The squad marks the return of several high-profile stars who missed recent assignments. Left-arm pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi and veteran all-rounder Gulbadin Naib have been reintegrated after being rested for the Bangladesh tour in October. Their return significantly bolsters the team’s depth, especially given Naib’s reputation as a “big-match player.”
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Perhaps the most vital return is that of Naveen-ul-Haq, who is back following a shoulder injury that sidelined him from the 2025 Asia Cup. Joining him is mystery spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman, whose inclusion has shifted the young sensation AM Ghazanfar to the reserve list.
Afghanistan enters this tournament with unprecedented confidence following their historic semi-final run in the 2024 edition. During that campaign, they stunned the cricketing world by defeating giants like Australia and New Zealand.
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ACB CEO Naseeb Khan noted, “We cherish excellent memories from the past and hope for even better results this year in Asian conditions.”
Before their World Cup opener against New Zealand in Chennai on February 8, the same 15-member unit will face the West Indies in a three-match T20I series in the UAE from January 19 to 22
Placed in a challenging Group D alongside South Africa, New Zealand, UAE, and Canada, Rashid Khan and his men will look to these warm-ups to fine-tune their combinations for the main event.
Afghanistan squad vs West Indies, and T20I World Cup 2026:
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, Fazalhaq Farooqi and Abdullah Ahmadzai
Reserves: AM Ghazanfar, Ijaz Ahmadzai and Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi