Afghanistan Announce Squad for UAE T20I Tri-Series: Naveen-ul-Haq Misses Out, Abdollah Ahmadzai Comes In

Afghanistan have named their squad for the upcoming T20I tri-series in the UAE, where they will face off against Pakistan and hosts UAE starting this Friday in Sharjah. The squad closely mirrors the one selected for the upcoming Asia Cup, with the only notable omission being fast bowler Naveen-ul-Haq. He has been replaced by 22-year-old Abdollah Ahmadzai, who is yet to make his international debut.

Ahmadzai, a right-arm pacer with 14 wickets from 10 domestic T20s, has also been named among the reserves for the Asia Cup, which begins shortly after the tri-series concludes. His inclusion comes as Afghanistan look to build squad depth ahead of a busy white-ball season.

This tri-series marks Afghanistan’s return to white-ball cricket for the first time since their Champions Trophy campaign ended in February 2025. It also presents an ideal opportunity to gather intelligence on their Asia Cup opponents, as both Pakistan and UAE are in the same continental competition.

Among the key players to watch is mystery spinner AM Ghazanfar, who is set for a potential T20I debut during the series. He joins a formidable spin unit led by captain Rashid Khan, and featuring Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and Noor Ahmad.

The tri-series will also see the return of opener Ibrahim Zadran to the T20I fold. Zadran last played in the 2024 T20 World Cup and was not part of the squad that toured Zimbabwe in December 2024. From that tour, left-arm spinner Nangeyalia Kharote has been left out of the main squad but remains in the reserves for the Asia Cup.

The tri-series will follow a double round-robin format, with each team playing the others twice before the top two face off in the final on September 7. If Afghanistan reach the final, they will have just a one-day turnaround before beginning their Asia Cup campaign against Hong Kong on September 9.

Afghanistan squad for UAE T20I Tri-Series:

Rashid Khan (capt), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Darwish Rasooli, Sediqullah Atal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Karim Janat, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Mohammad Ishaq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, AM Ghazanfar, Noor Ahmad, Fareed Ahmad, Abdollah Ahmadzai, Fazalhaq Farooqi

The tri-series opener between Afghanistan and Pakistan will be played on Friday in Sharjah, setting the tone for what promises to be a packed and competitive month of T20 cricket.