Naveen-ul-Haq Ruled Out of 2026 T20 World Cup, Afghanistan Faces Major Setback

• Former Lucknow Super Giants fast bowler Naveen-ul-Haq will miss the 2026 T20 World Cup and the upcoming T20I series against West Indies due to a shoulder injury.
• The 26-year-old bowler is scheduled for surgery later this month, making a comeback impossible.
• Naveen's absence is a significant blow for Afghanistan, as he was a key death-overs specialist, especially on slow pitches.
• He last played for Afghanistan in December 2024 and has been active in franchise cricket like SA20 and MLC, but a persistent shoulder injury hampered his progress.
• Despite an excellent performance in the 2024 T20 World Cup, taking 13 wickets with an economy of 6.00, he went unsold in the 2026 IPL auction.

Why It Matters: Naveen-ul-Haq's injury rules him out of the 2026 T20 World Cup, a major blow for Afghanistan's bowling attack.