Rashid Khan will captain Afghanistan at the T20 World Cup 2026 after the selectors announced a 15-member squad for the tournament, which will be hosted jointly by India and Sri Lanka. The same squad will also be used for a three-match T20I series against West Indies in the UAE, serving as key preparation ahead of the global event.
The squad sees the return of several familiar names. Left-arm fast bowler Fazalhaq Farooqi and experienced allrounder Gulbadin Naib are back after missing Afghanistan’s white-ball tour of Bangladesh in October. Offspinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman has also returned to the side, strengthening Afghanistan’s spin attack, while right-arm pacer Naveen-ul-Haq makes a comeback after recovering from a shoulder injury that ruled him out of the Asia Cup in September. Naveen last featured for Afghanistan in a T20I against Zimbabwe in December 2024.
Mujeeb’s inclusion has meant that young mystery spinner AM Ghazanfar has been named among the reserves, along with Ijaz Ahmadzai and Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi. Afghanistan’s bowling unit once again looks like the core strength of the side, combining proven spin options with a variety of pace bowlers suited to Asian conditions.
Afghanistan head into the 2026 T20 World Cup with confidence after a historic campaign in the previous edition in 2024, where they reached the semi-finals for the first time in an ICC tournament. Their run included memorable victories over higher-ranked teams such as New Zealand, West Indies, Australia and Bangladesh, underlining their growing stature in international T20 cricket.
Afghanistan Cricket Board CEO Naseeb Khan said the team is eager to build on those achievements. He highlighted the importance of playing in familiar Asian conditions and said the West Indies series would be a valuable chance to finalise combinations and sharpen preparations ahead of the World Cup.
The T20I series against West Indies will be played from January 19 to 22. At the T20 World Cup, Afghanistan have been drawn in Group D alongside New Zealand, South Africa, UAE and Canada. They will begin their campaign against New Zealand on February 8 in Chennai, aiming to once again challenge the established powers on the world stage.
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