Afghanistan pacer raring to go after two years out
After nearly two years out of the Afghanistan side and a brutal shoulder rebuild, Naveen-ul-Haq returns for the T20I series against India.
Afghanistan's pace spearhead, Naveen-ul-Haq is back in his nation’s colours for the first time in almost two years for the T20I series against India.
Due to missing out on almost two years of cricket due to subsequent injuries, he is back and more ready than ever.
Speaking to Cricinfo of his rehab he said, “It is lonely. It's a very tough time for a person, The stress fracture healed itself within eight to ten weeks. But I had a second surgery for labrum repair.”
“For the first six weeks of rehab in the UK, I had to sit while sleeping."
Naveen made his debut for Afghanistan in 2016, in an ODI against Bangladesh, aged just 17.
He went from strength to strength, as he captained Afghanistan to their first-ever ICC U19 Men’s World Cup knockout appearance, which ended in the semi-finals against Australia.
Afghanistan line up for their national anthem prior to the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup Semi Final match between Australia and Afghanistan (Photo by Kai Schwoerer-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)
He was initially included in Afghanistan’s squad for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, but missed out due to stress fracture in his right shoulder.
The 26-year-old has most notably been known as a death-overs specialist, was integral in Afghanistan’s impressive 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup semi-final run, as he picked 13 wickets at an average of 12.30 and an economy of 6.00.
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He described watching Afghanistan’s double super-over game against South Africa in Ahmedabad as heartbreaking, as he believed he could’ve contributed if he was fit.
"I had the feeling that if I was there for the team, maybe I could have done something different in the death overs.”
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He also spoke on his retirement from ODIs in 2023, owing it to injury concerns.
Afghanistan have beaten every Test-playing nation in international cricket barring India. Though it is a bilateral series, Naveen is firing and ready to get back on the field.
He stressed on the fact that his colleagues in this version of the Afghanistan side have been playing alongside him since 2018, their time in the U-19s together.
“In this generation, you will see nine or ten players who have been playing for Afghanistan since the Under-19s together, since 2018. Those players are now in the national team, playing franchise cricket all over."
Several familiar faces such as Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Azmatullah Omarzai and Mujeeb-Ur-Rahman were part of Naveen's cohort in 2018.
With his body now ready, at 26, Naveen is eager to return and make his mark and he wants more cricket, despite a hard routine for a fast bowler.
“We have to play as much cricket as we can, but one day, it's all going to end.”
“Everyone has to leave, and we're going to miss it as a cricketer. We have to play, get on the ground, feel the pressure."
Schedule of Afghanistan’s T20I series against India:
First T20I: September 13, 2026
Second T20I: September 15, 2026
Third T20I: September 17, 2026
*All matches take place in Delhi.