All-rounder Gulbadin Naib said Afghanistan will look to make the most of their “second home” India during their Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign. In 2024, the Afghans stunned Australia to reach the semi-finals, before South Africa—who went on to finish as runners-up—knocked them out with a nine-wicket win after bowling them out for 56.
Having already tasted a semi-final, Afghanistan will carry the weight of expectations. But Naib, a veteran of more than a decade in Afghan cricket, said the team is focused not on pressure but on pushing themselves further than last time and targeting the title.
Currently featuring in the ILT20, Naib added that Afghan players won’t face major challenges in India, given their experience against top-quality bowlers in the Indian Premier League and other global leagues.
“There’s nothing like that – even T20 cricket isn’t all about expectation; it’s about the game. It’s about how you prepare yourself and how you play. T20 cricket especially suits us, suits Afghanistan,” Gulbadin told India Today in an interaction arranged by Dubai Capitals.
“Luckily, our players are playing in leagues all over the world, and that’s a big plus for us. And with the T20 World Cup happening in India, it feels like home – our second home. We’ve played a lot of cricket there: in Dehradun, in Lucknow, and of course, many of our players have plenty of IPL experience as well. Almost every team has one or two Afghan players playing regularly.
