Rashid Khan has been sacked as Afghanistan’s T20I captain on Thursday after the team’s group-stage exit from the T20 World Cup 2026. In the group phase, Afghanistan lost to New Zealand and South Africa while posted wins against UAE and Canada.
Ibrahim Zadran has been named the new skipper and he will lead the side in the upcoming three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka in Sharjah from March 13. Left-arm pacer Fazal Haq Farooqi, allrounder Gulbadin Naib and wicketkeeper Mohammad Ishaq, who were all part of the Afghanistan’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad, have also been left out for the series.
Rashid biggest success came in the T20 World Cup 2024 where he led Afghanistan to the semifinal. The chief selector said the decision was taken keeping the transition phase in mind.
“Rashid Khan’s tenure as the T20I captain brought immense success to the team, particularly highlighted by the team’s remarkable journey in the 2024 edition of the T20 World Cup, where we reached the semi-finals. In alignment with the ACB’s long-term strategic vision and following recent changes in our Team Management, including the appointment of a new head coach, we have made the thoughtful decision to transition the leadership within the T20I setup,” ACB’s Chief Selector, Ahmad Shah Sulimankhil, said in an official statement.
“Ibrahim Zadran, who has served as Rashid Khan’s deputy, will assume the role as Afghanistan’s regular captain in this format. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Rashid Khan for his valuable contributions and wish Ibrahim Zadran every success in this important new role. In addition, our long-term goal is to adequately prepare the team for the upcoming two World Cup events. We are hopeful that, under this new leadership, the National Team will not only flourish but also showcase outstanding performances and build a strong and competitive bench strength for the crucial challenges that lie ahead,” he added.
Afghanistan and Sri Lanka will start with the T20I series in Sharjah from March 13, followed by a three-match ODI series in Dubai later in the month. The Afghanistan Cricket Board said that they are closely following the situation in West Asia and are currently in discussions to see if the series can begin as originally planned.
“Although a final decision will be made in a couple of days, the ACB’s initial approach, in coordination with the ECB and venue authorities, is to proceed with the originally scheduled dates. Should circumstances necessitate a change, the ACB will consider exploring alternative options for both the host country and the event schedule,” the official statement said.
Afghanistan’s T20I squad: Ibrahim Zadran (C), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Noor Rahman (WK), Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Shahidullah Kamal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi, Fareed Ahmad Malik and Abdullah Ahmadzai.
Reserves: Nangyal Kharoti, Bilal Sami and Ijaz Ahmadzai.
Afghanistan’s ODI squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Rahmat Shah (VC), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Ikram Alikhil (WK), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, AM Ghazanfar, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi, Fareed Ahmad Malik and Bilal Sami.
Reserves: Qais Ahmad, Mohammad Saleem Safi and Bashir Ahmad.
