Rashid Khan to lead Afghanistan at T20 World Cup 2026; Mujeeb, Farooqi back in squad

Rashid Khan will lead Afghanistan at the T20 World Cup next year, as they named their 15-member squad for the tournament in India and Sri Lanka. The same side will also play West Indies in a three-match T20I series in the UAE in the lead-up.

Afghainstan's squad includes left-arm quick Fazalhaq Farooqi, offspinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman, allrounder Gulbadin Naib and right-arm seamer Naveen-ul-Haq. Both Farooqi and Naib were left out of the white-ball tour of Bangladesh in October, but are back ahead of the T20 World Cup.

Mujeeb's inclusion, meanwhile, has pushed mystery spinner AM Ghazanfar to the reserves, which also includes Ijaz Ahmadzai and Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi. Naveen, though, returns after a shoulder injury had ruled him out of the Asia Cup in September. He last played for Afghanistan in a T20I against Zimbabwe in December 2024.

Afghanistan had made it to the semi-final of the last T20 World Cup, in 2024, which was the first time they went that far in an ICC tournament. On the way, they beat much higher-rated teams like New Zealand, West Indies, Australia and Bangladesh.

"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," Naseeb Khan, the Afghanistan Cricket Board CEO, said. "Hosting the West Indies team provides us with an incredible opportunity to fine-tune our combination, and prepare adequately for the World Cup."

Afghanistan's T20I series against West Indies runs from January 19 to 22. At the T20 World Cup, they are placed in Group D, alongside New Zealand, South Africa, UAE and Canada. Afghanistan start their campaign against New Zealand on February 8 in Chennai.

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 and Abdullah Ahmadzai

Reserves: AM Ghazanfar, Ijaz Ahmadzai and Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi