Pakistan cricket gears up for a high-stakes T20I showdown against Australia with a revamped squad announcement from Lahore. All-rounder Salman Ali Agha takes the helm as captain for the three-game series starting January 29, injecting fresh leadership into the team just before the T20 World Cup 2026 horizon.
Making headlines is the triumphant return of Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi to the T20 setup after missing the Sri Lanka series earlier this month. Babar’s BBL stint was underwhelming—202 runs in 11 outings—but he’s now fully committed to Pakistan, ditching his league side pre-playoffs.
The batting core radiates strength, boasting Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, and Sahibzada Farhan in top nick. The exclusion of Mohammad Rizwan from the playing XI raises eyebrows, hinting at bold selection gambles by the management.
Bowling options brim with variety: Shadab Khan bolsters the spinners alongside Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, and Usman Tariq. Fast bowlers Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Mohammad Wasim Jr. form a lethal trio expected to trouble Aussie batsmen on home turf.
Haris Rauf’s snub, despite his BBL heroics of 20 wickets, underscores a strategic rest or rotation policy. Looking ahead, Pakistan opens its T20 World Cup account against Netherlands on February 7, with Colombo hosting their entire group stage.
Squad details: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khwaja Mohammad Nafay (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Mohammad Wasim Jr., Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wk), Usman Tariq.