Aqil Khan Obaid replaces Hafieezullah Zadran in Afghanistan U19 WC squad

Hafieezullah Zadran, Afghanistan's batter, sustained a fracture to his left wrist during Afghanistan's opening match against South Africa.

The Event Technical Committee of the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026 has officially approved Aqil Khan Obaid as a replacement for Afghanistan, following Hafieezullah Zadran’s injury.

 

Hafieezullah Zadran, Afghanistan’s young batter, sustained a fracture to his left wrist during Afghanistan's opening match against South Africa. Despite a strong start to the campaign, the injury ruled Zadran out of the tournament. After medical assessments, it was confirmed that he would be unable to recover in time for the remaining matches, prompting Afghanistan to seek a replacement.

 

Approval from ICC Event Technical Committee

 

Following the injury setback, Aqil Khan Obaid was proposed as the replacement player for Zadran. This substitution was subject to the formal approval of the ICC Event Technical Committee, as per ICC tournament regulations. The committee’s clearance is essential to ensure fairness across all teams participating in the event. 

 

 

Aqil Khan Obaid’s Role in the Afghanistan Squad

 

Obaid's inclusion will add much-needed balance and depth to the Afghanistan squad as they continue their journey in the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026. Although losing a key player like Zadran early in the competition is a blow, Afghanistan will hope that Obaid can quickly integrate into the team and contribute positively in the matches ahead.

 

Event Technical Committee Members

 

The ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026 Event Technical Committee is comprised of senior ICC officials and representatives from the host nation. The committee is chaired by Wasim Khan, ICC’s General Manager of Cricket, and includes Sarah Edgar, ICC Senior Manager – Events, Hamilton Masakadza, Zimbabwe Cricket’s Tournament Director, and Tash Farrant, a former international cricketer and independent nominee. The committee’s role includes reviewing injury cases, approving replacements, and ensuring the tournament’s smooth functioning.

 

Afghanistan Shifts Focus to On-Field Performance

 

With the squad update now confirmed, Afghanistan can refocus on their on-field performance in the tournament. The team will aim to build on the momentum from their opening match, despite the early setback caused by Zadran’s injury.