The squad sees the return of Rashid’s trusted spin partner Mujeeb Ur Rahman and left arm fast bowler Fazalhaq Farooqi, adding depth and experience to the bowling attack.

Fast bowler Naveen ul Haq has also made a comeback after recovering from a shoulder injury. He last played for Afghanistan in December 2024 against Zimbabwe and is now fully fit to take the field again.

Afghanistan Cricket Board Chief Executive Naseeb Khan expressed confidence that the team can go a step further than their historic run in the previous T20 World Cup.

Speaking in an official statement, he said Afghanistan’s journey in the last edition was outstanding, and the team now hopes to deliver even stronger results in Asian conditions, which are more familiar to the players.

Two years ago, Afghanistan surprised the cricketing world by reaching the semi finals after memorable wins against New Zealand, West Indies, Australia, and Bangladesh.

Ahead of the World Cup, the Afghan side will fine tune their preparations with a three match T20 series against West Indies in the United Arab Emirates.

The 20 team tournament will begin on 7 February, jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Afghanistan have been placed in Group D alongside New Zealand, South Africa, UAE, and Canada.

Rashid Khan’s men will kick off their campaign on 8 February in Chennai against New Zealand, a match expected to set the tone for their tournament.

Afghanistan Squad:
 Rashid Khan (captain), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Mohammad Ishaq, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Shahidullah Kamal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen ul Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Abdullah Ahmadzai.

With a mix of calm leadership, match-winners, and returning firepower, Afghanistan enter the World Cup as a confident side ready to challenge the big names once again.