Naveen-ul-Haq

Naveen-ul-Haq is a skilful right-arm fast bowler who brings pace, variations, and valuable T20 experience to Afghanistan’s attack for the series against India. He returns to the national setup after recovering from a stress fracture in his right shoulder, an injury that forced him to miss Afghanistan’s T20I series against West Indies and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. His comeback is a major boost for Afghanistan, as Naveen has the experience and temperament to handle pressure against strong batting lineups. Known for his clever use of slower deliveries and changes of pace, he offers a different dimension to Afghanistan’s pace attack alongside Fazalhaq Farooqi and Abdullah Ahmadzai.

Naveen’s effectiveness in T20 cricket comes from his ability to outthink batters rather than relying solely on raw pace. He can use variations in length, cutters, slower balls, and well-directed yorkers to disrupt a batter’s rhythm, particularly during the middle and death overs. His experience in international and franchise cricket has helped him become a bowler capable of handling high-pressure situations and searching for wickets at crucial moments. From a fantasy cricket perspective, Naveen-ul-Haq is an attractive bowling option because of his genuine wicket-taking potential. If he returns to full rhythm after his injury layoff, Naveen could play a major role in Afghanistan’s bowling plans during the T20I series against India.