Afghanistan’s cricket team faces a big problem. Their fast bowler Naveen-ul-Haq can’t play in the upcoming three T20I series against West Indies or the T20 World Cup 2026 due to injury. He will have surgery later this month.
Injury Details
Afghanistan Cricket Board has ruled out their 26-year-old fast bowler from the three T20I matches against West Indies and the 2026 T20 World Cup. He’ll undergo surgery later this month, but the injury details aren’t public yet. This comes after a shoulder problem that kept him out of the 2025 Asia Cup too.
Recent Playing History
Naveen last played for Afghanistan in December 2024. Since then, he has only played in leagues like SA20 2025, Major League Cricket, and ILT20 for MI Emirates. Fitness problems have kept him out of international matches.
Impact on Afghanistan
The team has suffered a big loss in their bowling lineup before the World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. Naveen’s expertise with cutters and yorkers fits perfectly for those subcontinental pitches. Backup bowlers like AM Ghazanfar, Ijaz Ahmadzai, and Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi are ready if needed, but no official replacement is announced yet. The upcoming West Indies series in the UAE will be crucial practice.
Possible Playing XI
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk) |
| Ibrahim Zadran |
| Darwish Rasooli |
| Gulbadin Naib |
| Azmatullah Omarzai |
| Mohammad Nabi |
| Rashid Khan (c) |
| Noor Ahmad |
| Mujeeb Ur Rahman |
| Fazalhaq Farooqi |
| Abdullah Ahmadzai |
This lineup emphasizes Rashid Khan’s leadership and Afghanistan’s strong spin attack, building on their 2024 semi-final run.