Fast bowler Naveen-ul-Haq has returned to the Afghanistan squad after recovering from a shoulder injury for the upcoming three-match T20 International series against India, scheduled to be played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on September 13, 15 and 17. Naveen’s return bolsters the pace attack after he recovered from a stress fracture in his right shoulder, an injury that had sidelined him from the bilateral series against the West Indies and the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, where Afghanistan made an early exit. The series will also mark Ibrahim Zadran’s first assignment as Afghanistan’s full-time T20I skipper after taking over from Rashid Khan.
Afghanistan Cricket Squad Updates Ahead of Competitions
The Afghanistan Cricket Board has confirmed the inclusion of several key players in the national squad ahead of upcoming competitions. Fast bowlers Fazal Haq Farooqi, Abdullah Ahmadzai, and Azmatullah Omarzai will join the team, alongside the experienced seam-bowling all-rounder Gulbadin Naib, who makes a return to the lineup. Additionally, uncapped wicketkeeper-batter Noor Rahman has earned his first call-up following a series of strong domestic performances.
The spin department remains robust, featuring renowned players such as Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Nangyal Kharoti, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and Mohammad Nabi. The Afghanistan Cricket Board emphasized its commitment to assembling a well-balanced and thoroughly prepared squad for all relevant competitions.
“This reflects the progress Afghan cricket has made toward achieving its major objectives and shows that we are steadily advancing toward the strategic goals identified by the organization,” said Naseeb Khan, the Afghanistan Cricket Board CEO, in a statement. “We have followed the same approach for the upcoming series against India, and I hope the Afghanistan team will deliver an outstanding performance in these matches. It is a great pride that Afghanistan is hosting a major cricketing nation for the first time. The series will mark the first-ever men’s bilateral T20I series between Afghanistan and India, after the two teams played in a one-off Test and three ODIs in June this year. Afghanistan squad : Ibrahim Zadran (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Noor Rahman (wk), Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Abdullah Ahmadzai, and Naveen-ul-Haq.
The Afghanistan squad will reach India early for a preparatory camp before the series begins.
