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On Wednesday, December 31, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) unveiled the 15-man squad for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026, which is scheduled to start on Saturday, February 7, in India and Sri Lanka.
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Rashid Khan will lead the strong squad in the marquee tournament. Notably, this squad will also feature in the upcoming three-match T20I series against West Indies, which is starting on Monday, January 19, in Sharjah.
It’s important to note that the veteran all-rounder Gulbadin Naib has made his comeback alongside the star pacer Naveen-ul-Haq, who is returning from a shoulder injury. Also, Fazalhaq Farooqi, who was ruled out of the recent series against Bangladesh, has returned to the squad.
Star spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman has replaced AM Ghazanfar in the squad, with the latter named among the reserves for the tournament. ACB Chief Selector Ahmad Shah Sulimankhil, after announcing the squad, has revealed that it was a tough decision to leave out Ghazanfar.
"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,” ACB Chief Selector Ahmad Shah Sulimankhil said after announcing the squad.
Afghanistan will kickstart their campaign against New Zealand on Sunday, February 8 in Chennai.
Afghanistan squad for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026
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 and Ziaur Rahman Sharifi.
Afghanistan's group stage fixtures:
vs New Zealand: February 8, Chennai
vs South Africa: February 11, Ahmedabad
vs UAE: February 16, Delhi
vs Canada: February 19, Chennai
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