Rashid Khan to lead Afghanistan in T20 World Cup 2026
What's the story
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has announced a strong 15-member squad for the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup, scheduled to be held in India and Sri Lanka. Rashid Khan will continue to lead the side, which also includes several marquee players. Afghanistan will begin their preparation for the impending tournament with a three-match T20I series against West Indies in the UAE.
Team composition
Team composition: Key takeaways
The squad also features star speedster Naveen ul Haq, who has recovered from his shoulder injury. Meanwhile, seasoned campaigners Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and Rahmanullah Gurbaz will bolster the side. While Fazal Haq Farooqi returns to the mix, AM Ghazanfar has been left out of the main squad. The latter is in the reserves.
Information
Afghanistan's squad for T20 World Cup
Squad: Rashid Khan (captain), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Ishaq (wicket-keeper), 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.
Pre-tournament series
Preparation for the tournament
Ahead of their campaign in the global T20 event, Afghanistan will take on West Indies in a three-match T20I series in the UAE. The same squad will play in this series, set to be hosted by Afghanistan between January 19 and January 22. This will allow the team to prepare and test their combination ahead of the World Cup.
Information
Afghanistan reach semis in 2024
In 2024, Afghanistan scripted history after reaching the T20 World Cup semi-final. They booked the berth after claiming a historic win over Australia. However, South Africa thrashed them in the semis.