Star spinner Rashid Khan, who is the highest wicket-taker in T20Is as well as in T20 cricket, will captain Afghanistan in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, which will be played from February 7 to March
8 across five venues in India and three in Sri Lanka. The 27-year-old spinner, who represents Gujarat Titans in the cash-rich Indian Premier League, led Afghans in the 2024 T20 World Cup as well, and under his leadership, Afghanistan defeated Australia to qualify for the semifinals as well.
In the 15-member team picked for the 20-team tournament, apart from Rashid, Afghanistan selectors have also included Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Naveen-ul-Haq, Noor Ahmad and Gulbadin Naib, among others, but Mumbai Indians spinner Allah Ghazanfar has been named in the reserves.
ACB Name AfghanAtalan Squad for the West Indies Series and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026
Kabul – December 31, 2025: The Afghanistan Cricket Board’s National Selection Committee has finalized the AfghanAtalan Squad for the upcoming T20I series against the West Indies and the… pic.twitter.com/odBoCbMAWy
— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) December 31, 2025
Before the T20 World Cup 2026, Afghanistan will play a three-match T20I series against the West Indies in Sharjah from January 19 to 22, and the same set of 15 players that are picked for T20 World Cup 2026 will feature in that series.
In the T20 World Cup 2026, Afghanistan are clubbed with New Zealand, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates and Canada in Group D. They will open their campaign on February 8 in Chennai against the Black Caps and then take on 2024 T20 World Cup losing finalists South Africa at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on February 11.
Afghanistan’s third Group D match is scheduled against UAE on February 16 at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, and then they will travel to Chennai again to face Canada on February 19.
Afghanistan’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad: Rashid Khan (C), Noor Ahmad, Abdullah Ahmadzai, Sediqullah Atal, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Naveen Ul Haq, Mohammad Ishaq, Shahidullah Kamal, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Darwish Rasooli, Ibrahim Zadran.
Reserves: Allah Ghazanfar, Ijaz Ahmadzai, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi.
