Asia Cup 2025: Afghanistan's Naveen-ul-Haq replaced by Abdullah Ahmadzai

Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) on Monday replaced right-arm pacer Naveen-ul-Haq with pacer Abdullah Ahmadzai amid the ongoing ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 due to a shoulder injury.

In a statement, the cricket board cited his injury as the cause of dropping out, saying that he was recovering from a shoulder injury, he was not declared fit by the medical team, so he would not play the remaining matches of the tournament.

“Afghanistan's veteran fast bowler, Naveen Ul Haq, has been ruled out of the ACC Men's T20 Asia Cup 2025,” the ACB said in a statement.

“He is still recovering from a shoulder injury and has not been declared fit by the ACB medical team to participate in the remaining matches. Naveen will continue to undergo intensive treatment and rehabilitation until he is fully fit,” it added.

Naveen has been replaced by emerging pacer Abdullah Ahmadzai, who made his T20I debut against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the recently held T20I tri-series.

“Fast bowler Abdullah Ahmadzai, who was previously in the reserves and recently made his international debut, has been promoted to the main squad for the Asia Cup 2025,” the ACB’s statement continued.

“The ACB wishes Naveen Ul Haq a speedy recovery and extends its best wishes to Abdullah Ahmadzai for the matches ahead.”

For the unversed, Afghanistan has thus far played only one match in the Asia Cup 2025 – the curtain raiser in Dubai – where they beat Hong Kong by 94 runs. Their next group-stage match is scheduled to be played at Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.

Afghanistan squad for Asia Cup 2025: 

Rashid Khan (c),Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Darwish Rasooli, Sediqullah Atal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Karim Janat, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Mohammad Ishaq, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb ur Rahman, AM Ghazanfar, Farid Ahmad Malik, Fazalhaq Farooqi, and Abdullah Ahmadzai.