'I Had To Sit While Sleeping': Naveen-ul-Haq Opens Up On Injury Layoff Ahead Of Return

Naveenul Haq's Road Back: From Surgery to T20I Comeback vs India

Afghanistan's express pacer Naveenul Haq is finally fit to return after nearly two years on the sidelines, and the 26-yr-old is itching to make the most of his comeback in the T20I series vs India, kicking off Sun at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

The injury that tested him mentally

Naveen's run back hasn't been straightforward. He battled successive injuries, including a stress fracture in his right shoulder that ruled him out of Afghanistan's squad for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026.

Speaking to Cricinfo, he opened up on the psychological toll: "It is lonely. It's a very tough time for a person." The stress fracture itself healed in 8-10 weeks, but he needed a second surgery for labrum repair. "For the first six weeks of rehab in the UK, I had to sit while sleeping."

As a doctor, I can tell you shoulder labrum injuries are no joke for a fast bwl — recovery demands patience and discipline, and Naveen's clearly stuck to his protocol.

A death-overs specialist at his best

Debuting for Afghanistan in an ODI vs Bangladesh in 2016 at just 17, Naveen has become one of the country's go-to T20 bowlers, especially in the death overs. He was instrumental in Afghanistan's run to the 2024 T20WC semifinals, finishing with 13 wickets at an avg of 12.30 and an econ of 6.00.

He also revealed how painful it was to watch Afghanistan's heartbreak double Super Over loss vs South Africa in Ahmedabad during the 2026 WC while sidelined: "I had the feeling that if I was there... maybe I could have done something different in the death overs."

Focusing on the T20 dream

Naveen pulled the plug on his ODI career in 2023, with injuries being a big factor. But his eyes are now locked on the T20 format.

He also praised the chemistry of the current crop, with 9-10 players who've grown up together in the U19 system since 2018 now featuring for the national team and playing franchise cricket worldwide.

"We have to play as much cricket as we can, but one day, it's all going to end... We have to play, get on the ground, and feel the pressure."

Wish him a clean, injury-free return — we'll be watching closely. 🏏

Source: Cricketnmore