Rashid Khan will again take charge of Afghanistan’s T20 side after being confirmed as captain for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. A 15-man squad has been named, and the selectors have decided to keep the same group together for a three-match T20I series against West Indies in the UAE from 19–22 January. The warm-up fixtures should offer a tidy dress-rehearsal before the main event.
Left-arm seamer Fazalhaq Farooqi and off-spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman both return. Farooqi, along with experienced all-rounder Gulbadin Naib, was omitted from the white-ball tour of Bangladesh in October but is back to lead the attack through the powerplay and at the death. Mujeeb’s recall means teenage “mystery” spinner AM Ghazanfar drops to the standby list, joined by quick Ijaz Ahmadzai and leg-spinner Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi.
Right-arm seamer Naveen-ul-Haq has also been passed fit after the shoulder injury that ruled him out of last September’s Asia Cup. The 26-year-old last played international cricket against Zimbabwe in December 2024 and is expected to support Rashid and Noor Ahmad through the middle overs.
Afghanistan reached the semi-finals of the previous T20 World Cup, their best showing at a global ICC tournament. Along the way they defeated New Zealand, West Indies, Australia and Bangladesh—results that lifted expectations at home and abroad.
Chief executive Naseeb Khan believes familiarity with Asian conditions can help the team go at least one step further. “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,” he said. “Hosting the West Indies team provides us with an incredible opportunity to fine-tune our combination, and prepare adequately for the World Cup.”
Rashid’s men have been drawn in Group D alongside New Zealand, South Africa, UAE and Canada. They open their campaign against New Zealand in Chennai on 8 February, conditions likely to suit their spin-heavy attack. Batting depth, though, remains under scrutiny; Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Darwish Rasooli are expected to shoulder most of the scoring, with veteran Mohammad Nabi adding ballast in the lower middle order.
Squad: Rashid Khan (capt), Ibrahim Zadran (vice-capt), 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, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Abdullah Ahmadzai
Reserves: AM Ghazanfar, Ijaz Ahmadzai, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi
