Afghanistan's Twenty20 World Cup preparation has been far from ideal in the aftermath of the country's Taliban takeover in August but captain Mohammad Nabi hopes his team's performance can bring about some joy back home.

Afghanistan's cricket board also underwent personnel changes and all-rounder Nabi was handed the captaincy after star spinner Rashid Khan stepped down saying he had not been consulted about the squad selection.

Due to visa issues the Afghan team arrived in the United Arab Emirates late and a bit undercooked, having played only three T20 internationals against Zimbabwe since March last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It's not that ideal," Nabi told reporters on Sunday, a day ahead of their opening Super 12 match against Scotland in Sharjah.

"There were little issues when we arrived in Dubai... but these last two warm-up games and practice sessions prepared the team well.

"The fans are really waiting because the only happiness in Afghanistan is cricket. If we do well in the tournament and win games, the fans will be really happy and there will be a lot of smiles on faces."