In a surprising turn of events, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has unveiled its 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup 2026, just a day after threatening to pull out in support of Bangladesh. Salman Ali Agha steps up as captain, leading a revamped side that includes former skipper Babar Azam but controversially omits wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan and pacer Haris Rauf.
The announcement comes amid recent poor form from all three players in the Big Bash League, yet Babar retains his spot, signaling the board’s faith in his experience. Filling the wicketkeeping void are Khwaja Mohammad Nafi, Sahibzada Farhan—who has domestic keeping experience—and Usman Khan, ensuring depth behind the stumps.
All-rounders Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan bring balance with bat and ball, while Faheem Ashraf adds firepower as a fast-bowling all-rounder. The pace attack will be spearheaded by Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah in Rauf’s absence.
The tournament kicks off on February 7 in a joint India-Sri Lanka hosting. Pakistan finds itself in Group A alongside India, Netherlands, USA, and Namibia. Their schedule includes clashes against Netherlands on February 7, USA on February 10, India on February 15, and Namibia on February 18—all in Colombo.
Full squad: Salman Ali Agha (c), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khwaja Mohammad Nafi (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan, Usman Tariq.
This bold selection aims to blend youth and experience, but the exclusions have already sparked debates among fans and experts. Can this squad rise to the challenge in the high-stakes group stage?