Naveen-ul-Haq Injury Deals Blow to Afghanistan's Asia Cup 2025 Hopes

NEW DELHI: Afghanistan’s pace bowler Naveen-ul-Haq has been ruled out of the Asia Cup 2025 due to a shoulder injury. The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) medical team has confirmed that Haq has not yet recovered sufficiently to participate in the remaining matches of the tournament.Abdollah Ahmadzai has been named as Naveen’s replacement in the squad.Naveen-ul-Haq has featured in 48 T20 Internationals for Afghanistan, claiming 67 wickets at an average of 18.73 with an economy rate of 7.79, and his best figures being 4/20.Afghanistan began their Asia Cup campaign in style, defeating Hong Kong by 94 runs in their Group B opener at Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. Half-centurions Sediqullah Atal and Azmatullah Omarzai starred with the bat, wreaking havoc in the final overs.Afghanistan will take on Bangladesh at the Dubai International Stadium on September 16. Afghanistan squad: Rashid Khan (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Darwish Rasooli, Sediqullah Atal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Karim Janat, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Mohammad Ishaq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Allah Ghazanfar, Noor Ahmad, Farid Malik, Abdullah Ahmadzai, Fazalhaq Farooq, Abdollah Ahmadzai.