Ravichandran Ashwin picks young star as a player to watch in WC 2026

KARACHI: Veteran Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has named young Pakistani wicketkeeper-batter Khawaja Nafay as a player to watch during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, set to take place in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Ravichandran Ashwin noted, “This KM Nafay is a player to keep an eye on this World Cup.”

Following the squad announcement, Pakistan’s white-ball head coach Mike Hesson explained the 23-year-old’s selection during a recent press conference. “We considered Sahibzada Farhan as a backup wicketkeeper, but unfortunately, he became vulnerable to injury due to the extra workload of keeping. It was something we didn’t want to risk,” Hesson remarked. “That’s why we brought in Khawaja Nafay—as a power hitter through the middle and an option for wicketkeeping if required.”

Rising Through the Ranks

Khawaja Nafay recently made his international debut for Pakistan in a T20I series against Sri Lanka, impressing with a brisk 15-ball 26. The right-handed hitter has been a formidable force in domestic circuits, representing the Pakistan Shaheens and the Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

In 12 PSL games for the Gladiators, Nafay has accumulated 234 runs at a strike rate of 130, including two half-centuries. Most recently, he starred in the Hong Kong Sixes 2025, where he finished as the tournament’s third-highest run-scorer with 151 runs at an incredible strike rate of 284.90, helping the Shaheens secure the championship.

Tournament Schedule

Paki(archrivalsgin their World Cupvs.ampaign o(finaluary 7 in Colombo against the Netherlands. Their group-stage schedule is as follows:

• Feb 7: vs Netherlands (Colombo)
• Feb 10: vs USA
• Feb 15: vs India (Arch-rivals clash)
• Feb 18: vs Namibia (Final group game)

The Super Eight round will commence in Colombo on February 21, concluding in Kolkata on March 1. The semi-finals are set for March 3 and March 5, with the grand finale scheduled for March 8.

Pakistan Squad

Salman Ali Agha (c), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wk), and Usman Tariq.