Afghanistan announce 15-member squad for T20 World Cup 2026, Rashid Khan to lead

Afghanistan have announced their 15-member squad for the upcoming edition of the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. Rashid Khan will lead the team in the mega event that will be played from February 7 to March 8. Ibrahim Zadran has been appointed his deputy while Mujeeb Ur Rahman has made his comeback to the shortest format of the game.

Mohammad Nabi, who will turn 41 on January 1, 2026, has also been included in the squad, while the likes of Shahidullah Kamal and Mohammad Ishaq have also retained their respective positions. Moreover, the team also sees a comeback of Gulbadin Naib and Naveen-ul-Haq, which has significantly boosted their bowling line-up as well.

Abdullah Ahmadzai and Fazalhaq Farooqi are among the other fast bowlers in the World Cup squad. Meanwhile, AM Ghazanfar, Ijaz Ahmadzai and Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi are the three players named as reserves for the mega event.

Ahmad Shah Sulimankhil, ACB’s Chief Selector, explained the decision to leave out Allah Ghazanfar as he termed the cricketer unlucky to miss out securing a place in the squad. "We had good discussions over the past few



days and finalized 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 provides us with a valuable left-handed option, which is crucial in major tournaments," he said.

Notably, the same squad will face the West Indies in the UAE in the three-match T20I series that will be played from January 19 to 22. As for the T20 World Cup, Afghanistan are placed in Group D alongside New Zealand, South Africa, United Arab Emirates and Canada. They will start their campaign against New Zealand on February 8 in Chennai.

Afghanistan squad for T20 World Cup 2026: Rashid Khan (Captain), 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.