Naib, Naveen are eligible again for Afghanistan in T20 World Cup 2026

Naveen-ul-Haq and Gulbadin Naib have been recalled to the Afghanistan squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup. The Afghanistan Cricket Board officially announced the fifteen-man roster, which will be captained by star leg-spinner Rashid Khan.

Naveen returns after recovering from a shoulder injury that kept him sidelined since December 2024. Joining them is twenty-year-old wicketkeeper Mohammad Ishaq, who last featured in a match against Qatar. These three replace Sharafuddin Ashraf, Fareed Ahmad Malik, Bashir Ahmad, and Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai, who participated in the recent Zimbabwe tour but missed the cut here.

Afghanistan competes in Group D with New Zealand, South Africa, the UAE, and Canada. Their tournament begins on February 8 against the Black Caps in Chennai. Before the World Cup begins, this same squad faces the West Indies in a three-game series in the UAE commencing on January 19.