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Key Takeaways
- 1📊 Naveen-ul-Haq will undergo surgery this month, ruling him out of T20 World Cup
- 2🏆 Rashid Khan has left SA20 franchise cricket to focus on Afghanistan's World Cup campaign
- 3💡 Afghanistan have named AM Ghazanfar and two seamers as reserve pace options
- 4🔮 Afghanistan face bowling depth challenges heading into T20 World Cup 2026
"Afghanistan are yet to announce a replacement for Naveen, while Rashid has linked up with the national team"
Afghanistan have been dealt a significant blow ahead of the men's T20 World Cup, with fast bowler Naveen-ul-Haq ruled out of both the upcoming three-match T20I series against West Indies and the tournament itself due to a required surgical procedure.
Naveen's Absence
Naveen-ul-Haq, who last represented Afghanistan in December 2024, will undergo surgery later this month, sidelining him from crucial international commitments. The Afghanistan Cricket Board has yet to announce a replacement for the quick, though they have named mysterspinner AM Ghazanfar and seamers Ijaz Ahmadzai and Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi as reserves for the World Cup squad.
Rashid's National Recall
In a contrasting development, Rashid Khan has departed the SA20 franchise league to link up with Afghanistan's national team for their World Cup preparations. The star all-rounder's early exit from the South African competition underscores the priority placed on international duty as the tournament approaches.
Afghanistan will need to carefully manage their bowling resources without Naveen, relying on their reserve options to fill the void. Rashid's return provides some compensation, bringing his experience and match-winning ability back into the fold ahead of what promises to be a challenging World Cup campaign.
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