Lahore buzzes with excitement as Pakistan announces its squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Australia, set to ignite from January 29 to February 1. In a surprising captaincy call, all-rounder Salman Ali Agha steps up to lead the side, marking a pivotal moment ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup preparations.
The spotlight shines brightest on the comeback of former captain Babar Azam and pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi, both sidelined during January’s Sri Lanka series. Babar, who struggled in Australia’s Big Bash League with 202 runs across 11 games, has left his franchise early to prioritize national duties ahead of the playoffs.
Pakistan’s batting lineup looks formidable with in-form stars like Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, and Sahibzada Farhan anchoring the top order. Notably absent is wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan, sparking debates among fans and analysts about selection strategies.
In the bowling department, Shadab Khan joins Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, and Usman Tariq to form a potent spin attack. The pace battery, led by Shaheen, Naseem Shah, and Mohammad Wasim Jr., promises firepower to challenge Australia’s aggressive batting.
Key omissions include star pacer Haris Rauf, who claimed 20 wickets in 11 BBL matches, leaving questions on workload management. As Pakistan gears up, their T20 World Cup campaign kicks off February 7 against Netherlands in Colombo, where all group-stage games will unfold.
Full Pakistan squad: Salman Ali Agha (c), 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.