Pacer returns to Afghanistan squad for India series

Afghanistan announced the squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against India, to be played from September 13 to 17 at the Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium in New Delhi.

Ibrahim Zadran will lead the side, marking his first assignment as Afghanistan's full-time T20I captain.

Fast bowler Naveen-ul-Haq returns to the national setup after recovering from a stress fracture in his right shoulder, an injury that had ruled him out of Afghanistan's T20I series against West Indies and the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026.

He joins Fazalhaq Farooqi, Abdullah Ahmadzai and all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai in a pace attack that combines experience with variety.

Experienced all-rounder Gulbadin Naib returns to add depth to the middle order and offer an additional bowling option, with a record of strong performances against India. Naib average 44.75 at a strike-rate of 130.65 against India in T20Is.

Uncapped wicketkeeper-batter Noor Rahman has also been named in the squad as the second-choice gloveman, earning selection on the back of impressive returns in domestic cricket and the Shpageeza Cricket League.

The spin department features the experienced Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Nangyal Kharoti, while senior all-rounder Mohammad Nabi adds further experience and balance to the line-up.

Afghanistan Cricket Board Chief Executive Officer Naseeb Khan said: "The Afghanistan Cricket Board has always made every effort to select a well-balanced and fully prepared squad for all relevant competitions. 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."

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, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Abdullah Ahmadzai and Naveen-ul-Haq

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