Afghanistan T20 World Cup 2026 Squad: Rashid Khan named Captain, Allah Ghazanfar Snubbed

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Afghanistan has unveiled its 15-player squad for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, set to unfold across India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8.

Star leg-spinner Rashid Khan takes the helm as captain, bringing back seasoned performers like all-rounder Gulbadin Naib and pacer Naveen-ul-Haq, who returns post-shoulder injury recovery.

This selection leans heavily on spin-Rashid, Mujeeb, Noor, and Nabi form a quartet that can dismantle middle orders on subcontinental pitches expected in India and Sri Lanka. Naib's recall adds proven big-match temperament, evident in his 2024 T20 WC heroics, while Naveen's slingy action returns after shoulder rehab, boosting the seam attack alongside Farooqi's swing and Omarzai's bounce. At 41 by tournament time, Nabi's inclusion underscores Afghanistan's trust in seniority amid a youthful core like Gurbaz and Zadran.

Interestingly, Allah Ghazanfar has been named among the reserves as Mujeeb Ur Rahman has got the nod ahead of him.

"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," ACB CEO Naseeb Khan said.

Afghanistan T20 World Cup 2026 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, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi